Daily news summary
Brexit strategy approval confirms unified approach, says Sobotka in Brussels
Responding to the European Council’s approval of a joint EU strategy for negotiations with the UK over the latter’s departure from the bloc, the Czech prime minister, Bohuslav Sobotka, said the move had confirmed the leaders’ unified and common approach. Earlier at Saturday’s special summit in Brussels, Mr. Sobotka had said Prague’s priorities in the first phase of Brexit negotiations would be the rights of Czech citizens and financial settlements. Only once sufficient progress had been made would talks on future relations take place, he said.
Czechs offer to host European Banking Authority post-Brexit
The Czech prime minister, Bohuslav Sobotka, has written an official letter to the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, offering to host the European Banking Authority (EBA) in the Czech Republic in future. The institution is currently headquartered in the UK capital, London. The European Section of the Office of the Government posted the document, dated April 27, online on Saturday afternoon. In the letter, Mr. Sobotka said Prague was committed to the further promotion of European values and to mitigating any risks for the internal market and the EU as a whole, especially in connection to Brexit. He also highlighted the advantages of the Czech Republic’s central geographical position.
Wreathes laid at monument to victims of Nazi massacre in dying days of war
Wreathes were laid on Saturday in the village of Javoříčko in Moravia at a monument to 38 local men who were murdered by the Nazis during WWII, Czech Television reported. The mass killing came on May 5, 1945, just days before the end of the war, in response to local people’s support for Soviet partisans. The Nazis later razed the majority of homes in the village, where only a few dozen people live today.
Universities: Approved shorter studies for nurses will not resolve problems
New legislation shortening the time it takes them to qualify will not resolve a shortage of nurses, according to universities that offer courses for nurses quoted by the Czech News Agency. Valérie Tóthová, who is the dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Studies at the University of South Bohemia and also the chairwoman of an association of universities where nursing is taught, said she feared a bill passed during the week would in fact instead lower the quality of healthcare in the Czech Republic. The rector of Liberec Technical University, Zdeněk Kůs, said the change would halt a trend under which nurses had in recent years become doctors’ partners. From September nurses will be required to study for five years rather than the present seven-year period.
Mass choreographed events held for International Dance Day in Czech Republic
Events were held around the Czech Republic on Saturday marking International Dance Day. The gatherings included large-scale dances that members of the public were able to learn in advance via internet videos. The choreography was put together by leading dancers from the National Theatre. In Prague a mass event took place on the plaza Václav Havel Square, which is beside the National Theatre.
Start of May expected to be cooler and wetter than average
The beginning of May will see cooler weather and more rainfall than average for the time of year, according to a regular monthly forecast issued on Saturday by the Czech Hydro-Meteorological Institute. Daytime highs in the coming week are unlikely to exceed 14 degrees Celsius, the forecasters say. However, temperatures should then climb to the average for the time of year, rising to over 20 degrees Celsius in the week beginning May 22.
Weather forecast
It should be cloudy with some bright spells and temperatures of up to 13 degrees Celsius on Sunday. May Day is expected to have similar weather and daytime highs of up to 15 degrees Celsius, though the following days will be wet and cooler.
