• 03/13/2026

    The Czech Republic is ending repatriation flights from the Middle East for people whose return home was complicated by the war involving Iran. Thursday’s repatriation flight was the last one, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in the early evening on the social network X. In total, more than 1,500 Czech citizens returned from areas affected by the conflict on these flights, it added.

    The state launched repatriation flights using military aircraft and planes operated by the company Smartwings after Israel and the United States carried out a military attack on Iran at the end of February.

    “At the moment, the crisis hotline of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not record any Czech citizens in the region who would be in an urgent situation. Therefore this is the last government-organized repatriation flight in this crisis,” the ministry said.

  • 03/12/2026

    Clear to partly cloudy, with patchy fog at first, occasionally freezing. In western Bohemia, cloudiness will increase toward evening. Highest daytime temperatures will range between 13–17 °C.

  • 03/12/2026

    The opposition party Mayors and Independents (STAN) criticizes the government for failing to present concrete plans on how it would respond if fuel prices continue to rise. The first deputy chairman of STAN, Lukáš Vlček, told journalists that due to the conflict in the Middle East, which is unlikely to end soon, prices of gas or agricultural fertilizers may also increase, potentially causing inflation to rise. He said he would welcome the government placing a discussion on the agenda of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic, and he does not rule out calling an extraordinary session.

    In response to rising gasoline and diesel prices in the Czech Republic, the government is monitoring the margins of fuel retailers. In connection with the military conflict in the Middle East, which is pushing up oil prices, the cabinet is not currently planning additional measures.

    Vlček criticized the government for repeatedly refusing to include a debate about its plan for further steps on the agenda of the Chamber’s plenary session.

  • 03/12/2026

    Artists from the National Theatre Brno will perform at a prestigious festival in Hong Kong. They will present the opera Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Requiem by Antonín Dvořák. They will also offer the local audience a chamber concert featuring gems of Czech music.

    The Hong Kong Arts Festival hosts leading ensembles from around the world every year.

    This will be the fourth collaboration between the National Theatre Brno and the festival. In the past, the theatre presented The Makropulos Affair directed by David Radok. During the COVID pandemic, the online version of the festival featured Jenůfa and The Cunning Little Vixen. A recording of The Greek Passion was created specifically for the festival.

  • 03/12/2026

    Domestic industrial production in the Czech Republic fell month-on-month in January by the largest amount since July 2023. According to analysts, the increase in new orders by about 10% is a positive sign. However, the future development remains uncertain due to the war in the Middle East.

    Industrial production in the Czech Republic slowed its year-on-year growth to 2.8% in January, while compared with December 2025 it fell by 2.6%.

    “After four consecutive months of rising industrial production, January brought a sobering result in the form of the sharpest monthly decline since July 2023. The manufacturing sector in particular showed a very weak result, falling by 3.8% month-on-month,” stated analyst at Investika Vít Hradil.

    From a broader perspective, the overall result is industrial stagnation, as total output has remained practically unchanged since 2018, he added.

  • 03/12/2026

    The opposition party TOP 09 wants to anchor the Czech Republic’s membership in the European Union and NATO in the Czech Constitution. According to the party, the country’s security and civilizational orientation toward the West must not become the subject of political experiments.

    The party plans to approach all parliamentary parties for support, although it does not expect success with the governing SPD. A constitutional amendment requires 120 votes out of 200 deputies.

    TOP 09 criticizes the stagnation of defence spending in this year’s budget. Compared with the proposal of the previous government, the cabinet of Andrej Babiš (ANO) cut the defence chapter by 21 billion crowns.

    The Czech Republic has been part of NATO for 27 years. On Sunday, President Petr Pavel warned about the loss of trust among allies due to lower defence spending. According to him, it is not possible to benefit from security at the expense of others. Defence spending this year will amount to 154.79 billion crowns, about 1.8% of GDP, which does not meet NATO’s minimum target of 2% of GDP.

  • 03/12/2026

    The price of diesel in the Czech Republic rose by 5.79 crowns over the past week to an average of 40.89 CZK per litre. In the last day alone it increased by 60 hellers. Compared with the end of February, when the war in the Middle East began and global oil prices rose as a result, the average price of diesel at Czech filling stations is now 7.79 CZK higher. This follows from data by the company CCS, which monitors fuel prices.

    The price of the most commonly sold petrol, Natural 95, increased somewhat less. Petrol is currently sold at an average of 37.18 CZK per litre. A week ago it was 2.50 CZK cheaper, and at the end of February it was 3.57 CZK cheaper.

    Compared with the situation a year ago, petrol in the Czech Republic is now 1.64 CZK per litre more expensive, while diesel costs 5.89 CZK more per litre.

    On February 28, Israel and the United States carried out an airstrike on Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump said the attack was intended to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

  • 03/12/2026

    Czech billionaire Michal Strnad has ranked among the world’s 100 richest people for the first time, according to the latest global wealth list published by Forbes. The owner of the arms manufacturer Czechoslovak Group is listed 69th with an estimated fortune of 31.1 billion dollars. Strnad is the only Czech in the top 100 and currently the richest person in the country, ahead of PPF heiress Renáta Kellnerová. According to Forbes, his wealth rose sharply after Czechoslovak Group entered the stock market. Overall, the ranking includes 11 Czech "dollar" billionaires. The list is once again topped by Tesla founder Elon Musk, whose fortune Forbes estimates at 839 billion dollars.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 03/12/2026

    Czech President Petr Pavel and his wife Eva are beginning a state visit to Lithuania, where they will meet President Gitanas Nausėda and his wife Diana at the presidential palace in Vilnius. Pavel is also scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė and visit a monitoring operations centre near the Lithuanian-Belarusian border. Security threats from Russia and Belarus and continued support for Ukraine are expected to feature among the main topics of the talks. During the visit, Pavel will also lay a wreath at the Antakalnis Cemetery memorial to those who died for Lithuania’s independence and later meet the speaker of the Lithuanian parliament.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 03/12/2026

    The lower house of the Czech parliament has approved the state budget for this year with a deficit of 310 billion crowns. It is the first budget drafted by the coalition government led by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO). The proposal passed with 103 coalition votes against 88 from the opposition, ending a period in which the country had been operating under a provisional budget. During the final vote, lawmakers also approved several coalition-backed changes, including an additional 800 million crowns for sports infrastructure and smaller increases for youth organisations and the MEDEVAC humanitarian programme. The budget will now go to President Petr Pavel for signature.

    Author: Vít Pohanka

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