News

An international panel of experts has concluded that Prague's historic railway bridge beneath Vyšehrad can be restored and remain in service for at least another 100 years. Commissioned by the National Heritage Institute, the group voted 8–1 in favour of repairing rather than replacing the steel structure. The experts recommend dismantling the bridge during restoration, replacing or reinforcing damaged components and maintaining it regularly with renewed anti-corrosion protection. To increase rail capacity, they suggest building a separate third track alongside the existing bridge while preserving the original historic structure.

A Prague court has given a 20-year-old man a five-month suspended prison sentence for threatening to carry out a school shooting and expressing approval of the 2023 mass shooting at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University. The court also ordered a 20-month probation period, during which he will be supervised by a probation officer and undergo psychological counselling. Prosecutors said the defendant repeatedly threatened classmates and brought weapons such as knives and a telescopic baton to school. He denied the charges and has appealed the verdict.

Czech authorities are investigating allegations that some Filipino workers recruited to Czechia were forced to sign agreements requiring them to stay with their employer for two years or pay a CZK 100,000 penalty if they left early. The practice was uncovered by a Czech Radio investigation and reportedly involved workers hired through recruitment agencies under the government's labour migration programme. The State Labour Inspection Office said such arrangements could amount to labour exploitation, while the Ministry of Labour has referred the case to labour inspectors and police. Czechia is seeking to recruit more Filipino workers to help address labour shortages, particularly in healthcare and social services.

Czech coalition lawmakers have proposed amendments to conflict-of-interest legislation that critics say could allow companies linked to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš to continue receiving public subsidies and contracts, regardless of whether the prime minister has fully resolved concerns over conflicts of interest.

If adopted, the amendment would also reportedly prevent the retrospective recovery of subsidies previously paid to the Agrofert concern he is linked with.

Under current rules, companies that are more than 25 percent owned by a public office holder are barred from receiving state subsidies and participating in public procurement tenders. The proposed amendment would narrow those restrictions, applying them only to officials who directly head the authority responsible for awarding the subsidies or contracts.

The proposal comes as Czech authorities and the European Commission continue to examine allegations of conflicts of interest involving Babiš.