News

A Prague appeals court has ruled that former Communist Party chairman Vojtěch Filip must issue a formal apology to the civic group Milion chvilek for falsely linking it to a cyberattack on the Benešov hospital six years ago. The verdict, finalized after intervention by the Constitutional Court, confirms that even organizations are entitled to protection of their reputation under updated case law.

Filip must send a written apology within one month of the ruling taking effect. He will also be required to cover the group’s legal costs, with the exact amount to be specified in the court’s written decision.

Czech President Petr Pavel and Polish President Karol Nawrocki presented a united front on the war in Ukraine at their press briefing in Prague on Monday, declaring that both nations view the defense of Ukraine as a matter of their own security. The two leaders said their countries share an identical assessment of Russia as the most serious threat to Europe’s stability.

Pavel noted that ongoing talks in Geneva between U.S. and Ukrainian delegations, with European participation, are taking on a more constructive tone. Any final plan, he said, must respect international norms; otherwise it risks undermining the security architecture Europe relies on.

The two heads of state also discussed bilateral cooperation, regional issues and cooperation within the EU and NATO.

According to earlier reports, during his one-day visit to Czechia,  President Nawrocki will also meet ANO leader and likely next prime minister Andrej Babiš and deliver a lecture at Charles University, where he will speak on issues relating to Central Europe.

The Czech Chamber of Deputies is set to return the 2026 draft state budget to the outgoing cabinet of Petr Fiala, now serving in resignation, for substantial revision. According to the budget committee’s decision—pushed through by the incoming coalition of ANO, Motorists, and SPD—the government must rework several key areas, including projected revenues in line with November’s macroeconomic forecast.

The cabinet is also instructed, in cooperation with the National Budget Council, to adjust selected mandatory social expenditures within the Labour Ministry’s chapter. In addition, the Transport Ministry’s budget must be expanded to include the missing 37.2 billion crowns earmarked for the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure.

The government has 20 days to revise the proposal, setting the deadline at 16 December. The lower house is scheduled to open the first reading on Wednesday, 26 November.

Should the cabinet fail to find the necessary funds through cuts, the committee says it must increase the deficit rather than leave the budget incomplete.

The draft budget proposed by the outgoing government foresees a 286 billion-crown deficit. ANO claims that the proposal fails to cover mandatory and legally required expenditures, as well as key investment spending totaling 95.9 billion crowns.

The first snowfall in lower altitudes and freezing temperatures caused transport problems in Prague and around Central Bohemia early on Monday morning. Pile-ups are reported on the D1 highway and trains between Smíchov and Radotín were out of service for roughly two hours due to frozen switches, according to Prague Integrated Transport (PID) and Czech Railways. Road maintenance crews are out around the city. Drivers have been warned to expect more snow and icy conditions in the next two days.