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Czechia invested CZK 43.3 billion in research and development in 2025, around 10 percent more than a year earlier. The increase was the 10th fastest in the EU, but Czechia ranked only 16th overall, according to freshly released data from Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office.

Government spending on research and development amounted to 0.51 percent of GDP, compared with an EU average of 0.69 percent. Per capita, Czechia spent EUR 160.8, or 56 percent of the EU average. According to the Association for Applied Research in IT, the 10-percent increase largely reflects a rebound after weaker spending in 2024.

The association also pointed to slower growth in public research investment compared with some neighbouring countries. Over the past decade, Czechia increased spending per capita by 66 percent, compared with 158 percent in Poland and almost 500 percent in Bulgaria. It also noted that Czechia invests far less in defence technology research than the EU average.

More than 70,000 fans attended Czech singer Marek Ztracený’s concert on Prague’s Letná Plain on Friday, according to the organizers. The two-hour show featured songs from his 18-year career. Ztracený cancelled a planned fireworks display shortly before the concert, citing concerns for residents of nearby buildings as well as dogs and birds.

Ztracený is the first Czech musician to perform on Letná Plain. Before him, the site hosted Michael Jackson in 1996, followed seven years later by the Rolling Stones and Slovak band Elán.

Ztracený’s three concerts at Prague’s Eden stadium in 2023 and his subsequent Zpátky tour were attended by more than 250,000 people.

The Prague Pride festival supporting LGBT+ rights is culminating in a rainbow parade through central Prague on Saturday. Tens of thousands of people set off from the lower end of Wenceslas Square at noon after observing a minute of silence for the victims of the July attack in Berlin. The parade will end on Štvanice Island, where a programme of live music and other activities is planned.

Security has been tightened following the Berlin attack, in which one person was killed and dozens injured, with hundreds of police officers and an anti-conflict team overseeing the parade. Participants can carry banners by hand or use reusable plastic poles, while wooden poles and handles are banned. Traffic restrictions are in place along the route.

The 16th Prague Pride has the theme 'Times Are Changing', with a focus on safety, community and sharing. Organizers expect around 45,000 people to take part, similar to last year.

Recent rainfall has reduced the risk of wildfires in parts of Czechia, with the threat disappearing in southeastern Bohemia and dropping from high to low in South Moravia, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute informed on Friday. However, most of the country remains at risk due to persistent dry conditions.

Meteorologists also warn that the improvement may be short-lived. Tropical temperatures are expected to return on Sunday, with highs reaching 31 degrees Celsius, before climbing to around 33 degrees on Monday, potentially increasing the risk of wildfires again.