News

President Petr Pavel promoted ten men to general ranks at Prague Castle on Friday on the occasion of Victory Day. Eight were appointed brigadier generals, while two others received the rank of major general. The promotions were made on the recommendation of the government.

Among the newly promoted brigadier generals are special forces chief Tomáš Krampla and Antonín Genser, deputy commander of the Territorial Forces. Jan Pavlíček, deputy director of the Security Information Service, or BIS, was also promoted to a general rank.

Pavlíček’s promotion drew criticism from the Czech Confederation of Political Prisoners because of his past links to the former communist-era secret police, the StB. Czech presidents traditionally promote military, police and fire service officers to general ranks twice a year, on May 8 and October 28.

The International Federation of Journalists has condemned a Czech government proposal to fund Czech Television and Czech Radio directly from the state budget. Delegates at the organisation’s congress in Paris warned the plan would increase political control over public media and undermine their independence, the Czech News Agency reported, citing the Czech Journalists’ Syndicate.

The government wants to abolish licence fees from next January and replace them with state funding. Under the proposal, both broadcasters would also receive less money than they currently collect through fees.

The journalists’ federation says the changes conflict with European rules on media freedom and has called on Prime Minister Andrej Babiš to withdraw the proposal. Staff at Czech Television and Czech Radio have already declared strike readiness in protest.

People across the Czech Republic are commemorating the 81st anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe at memorial ceremonies held throughout the country.

The main commemoration took take place at Prague’s Vítkov memorial with president Petr Pavel and Prime Minister Andrej Babiš attending along with veterans from the war. The ceremony opened with the Czech national anthem, followed by the laying of wreaths in honour of those killed in the conflict.

In his address, President Pavel described the Second World War as the bloodiest conflict in human history and a warning for future generations. He said the tragedy showed where the loss of responsibility, solidarity and respect for human life could lead, adding that the legacy of the war should serve not only as a historical reminder but also as a lesson for the present.

Among those attending the ceremony were also the speakers of both chambers of Parliament, Chief of the General Staff Karel Řehka, and representatives of veterans’ organisations. Further commemorative events are taking place later in the day in Prague and in cities across the country, including Brno, Pardubice and Liberec.

All three newly accused persons have filed complaints against the decision to initiate criminal prosecution in the so-called Bitcoin case. The Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office will decide on them, but they have not yet been submitted to it, Radek Bartoš, deputy of the High Public Prosecutor’s Office in Olomouc, told the Czech News Agency today.

The Olomouc High Public Prosecutor’s Office did not disclose the names of those charged with money laundering and abuse of official authority, citing the Criminal Procedure Code. However, according to information from the Czech News Agency and other media, the accused include former Justice Minister Pavel Blažek (formerly ODS), his former deputy Radomír Daňhel, and lawyer Kárim Titz.

The case is linked to last year’s acceptance by the Ministry of Justice of a multi-billion-crown donation from Tomáš Jiřikovský, who had previously been convicted of embezzlement, drug trafficking, and illegal arms possession.