News

Sixty-four percent of Czechs plan to earn extra money on the side or take a second job to cover the cost of their summer holidays this year, according to a survey conducted by the Patron GO agency. Fourteen percent of respondents said they were considering taking out a loan to cover the expenses. The majority of people polled (78 percent) are planning only one vacation this year. About 60 percent of respondents say they plan to economize and will not spend more than 10,000 crowns per person on holidays this year. A quarter expect to stay within 20,000 crowns per person.

Meteorologists have warned the public to brace for extreme temperatures in the coming days. The weekend and the coming week should see daytime highs of over 30 degrees Celsius with a high of 35 degrees forecast for Monday. People are being advised to increase their intake of liquids and stay out of the sun as much as possible. Older people and children are particularly at risk.

The number of children placed in foster or children's homes due to parental neglect has increased by around 30 percent since 2009, according to child welfare authorities. While fourteen years ago there were 18, 600 children living with foster parents or in children's homes, at the turn of 2022 their number had risen to 24,700. According to experts the most common reason for placing children in state institutions is parents’ inability to secure their basic needs such as food, hygiene, safety and housing. In a tenth of cases, the reason is child abuse or exploitation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in Prague for talks with Czech top officials ahead of next week's NATO summit. He was received with military honours at Prague Castle shortly after 8 pm CET and went straight into a meeting with President Petr Pavel.

At a late-night press briefing following the talks, the Czech president said Ukraine could count on continued Czech support and solidarity, both in terms of military assistance in its counter-offensive and support for its ambition to join Western structures. Mr. Pavel said that Ukraine was fighting for what Czechia itself had striven for not so long ago – the right to freedom and to choose where it belonged. He said that not long ago, Czechia too had lobbied for support to be allowed to join the democratic fold of nations. "It is inconceivable that Russia should win this war, for that would be a defeat of the values that we share," President Pavel said.

He expressed admiration for the bravery of the Ukrainian people in defending their freedom and the determination and courage of their president, who was doing his best to win support for his country’s fast-track admission to NATO and the EU. Mr. Pavel said that while Ukraine could not count on an invitation to join NATO at the Vilnius summit (July 11-12), Prague would voice clear support for its goal and hopes to see accession talks started by the end of this year so that the country could join the alliance when the war ends.

The Czech president said that the Czech-Ukrainian talks were increasingly also about cooperation, noting that the reconstruction of Ukraine should be seen as an opportunity for Czech companies.

President Zelensky thanked the Czech president, government and the Czech people for their support of Ukraine, both material and moral, and for the high number of refugees the country has taken in. He said he realized that it would be difficult to win unanimous support for his country’s ambition, but emphasized that now was the time for unity and courage. He also warned against Russian disinformation and propaganda.

On Friday the Ukrainian leader is due to meet with Prime Minister Petr Fiala and the speakers of both houses of Parliament before flying to Turkey.