• 05/31/2023

    The Czech Senate has approved three new judges to the Constitutional Court. On Wednesday the upper house gave its backing to the former head of the Supreme Administrative Court, Josef Baxa, constitutional law professor Jan Wintr and the one-time head of the Union of Judges, Daniela Zemanová.

    The three were the first nominees for the country’s highest court put forward by Petr Pavel since he was inaugurated as Czech president in March.

    The terms of three of the 15 judges on the Constitutional Court came to an end recently. Another judge will see his term end on Sunday but the president has not yet announced a nominee to replace him.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 05/31/2023

    The Czech minister of defence, Jana Černochová, says she personally intervened after coming to suspect there was corruption in the country’s army. Speaking on Czech Radio on Wednesday, Ms. Černochová said she had temporarily taken charge of personnel affairs in the Czech Army and oversaw international trips by generals and played a role in decisions on promotions.

    The minister said that her investigation into suspected corruption in the armed forces had concluded and she had returned the relevant authority to the head of the army, Karel Řehka. It was reported recently that the two had been in conflict and that Major General Řehka had threatened to quit.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 05/31/2023

    Same-sex couples should be able to enter registered partnerships at any of Czechia’s registry offices, under a government amendment to the law on registry offices that was passed in the first reading by MPs on Wednesday.

    At present homosexual couples can register as partners at only 14 such offices. Registered partnership entered into Czech law in 2006. Czechia does not allow marriage between people of the same sex.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 05/31/2023

    The head of the Czech Army, Karel Řehka, has again said that a future conflict between Russia and NATO cannot be ruled out. Speaking at the Globsec security conference in Bratislava on Wednesday, the chief of the General Staff said that Russia’s behaviour and actions suggested it was on a trajectory toward conflict with NATO.

    Major General Řehka said that Russia was increasingly hostile and unpredictable and that people must recognise that it is a direct threat. He has made similar comments recently.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 05/31/2023

    Czechia plans to apply for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, the country’s minister of foreign affairs, Jan Lipavský, said on Wednesday. Mr. Lipavský said the country would campaign intensively for the prestigious place on the council in the period 2032–2033. Voting will take place in 2031.

    The minister said he had consulted Czechia’s candidacy with the country’s prime minister and president and both had backed the idea.

    Mr. Lipavský said that Czechia had a sense of responsibility to defend the UN Charter and wished to contribute to maintaining international security and the promotion of human rights.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 05/31/2023

    There is continued high demand for solar panel systems in Czechia, providers have told the Czech News Agency. Energy company ČEZ Prodej said it had installed over 2,000 by the end of this month, which represented a rise of 50 percent year-on-year. E.ON said it had recorded five-fold growth in sales of solar panel systems.

    Both providers said they had accelerated installation in a bid to keep up with demand.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 05/31/2023

    It should be mainly overcast in Czechia on Thursday, with an average high temperature of 24 degrees Celsius. Sunny skies are expected at the weekend and early next week.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 05/31/2023

    Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala is scheduled to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and Slovak head of state Zuzana Čaputová in Bratislava on Thursday within the international Globsec security conference.

    The Czech head of government, who is set to give a speech at the conference, will also meet with his counterpart Ľudovít Ódor, who took office in mid-May, to discuss the deepening of cooperation between the two countries.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 05/31/2023

    Czech President Petr Pavel leaves on Wednesday for a two-day visit to Austria. The Czech head of state will be received on Thursday by his Austrian counterpart Alexander Van der Bellen. He will also hold talks with Austrian National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka and Defence Minister Claudia Tanner.

    Besides EU and NATO cooperation, the main topics on the agenda will include the war in Ukraine, the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU and regional cooperation.

    Pavel's visit to Austria will conclude a series of trips to the neighbouring countries, which he started shortly after taking office in March. The President, who will be accompanied by his wife, will travel on a regular train.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 05/30/2023

    Wednesday will be mostly sunny with day temperatures ranging between 21 and 25 degrees Celsius.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková

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