• 03/25/2026

    Police in the Czech Republic will introduce security measures in connection with Friday’s fire in Pardubice and the situation in the Middle East ahead of Easter and other holidays. The measures will cover the protection of cultural, sports and social events, transport hubs and the international airport, and will also include road checks and search operations. Interior Minister Lubomír Metnar (ANO) said this in the Chamber of Deputies.

    According to him, patrols in ballistic protection and armed with automatic weapons will also be deployed in places with large crowds.

    Easter Monday falls on April 6 this year, with Good Friday on April 3. Two additional public holidays will occur in May, on Friday May 1 and May 8.

    The Czech Republic is currently at the second level of a four-level terrorism threat scale, indicating a moderate level of risk.

  • 03/24/2026

    The proposal to exempt people over 75 and companies from Czech TV (ČT) and Radio (ČRo) fees is not yet ready, and coalition MPs will not present it today. Vice-Chairman Patrik Nacher (ANO) emphasized that any revenue shortfall will not exceed the funding increase from the last amendment.

    The fee exemptions, expected to take effect mid-year, were initially announced by Chamber Speaker Tomio Okamura (SPD). From next year, the coalition plans to fully reform the ČT and ČRo funding system and eliminate fees entirely.

  • 03/24/2026

    The Czech Football Association (FACR) has requested police intervention amid a corruption investigation involving football matches linked to betting. FACR President David Trunda emphasized at a press conference today that no members of the association’s leadership are implicated.

    In connection with the probe, the FACR Ethics Commission has opened 47 disciplinary proceedings. The investigation involves top-division club Karviná, its players Samuel Šigut and Matěj Hýbl—whose activities have been suspended—and the mayor of Karviná, Jan Wolf. Karviná is the only top-league club implicated, according to an official notice.

    Since this morning, several dozen individuals have been detained, and police have conducted searches of homes, offices, and other properties, Olomouc High Prosecutor Radim Dragoun reported.

  • 03/24/2026

    Cloudy to overcast, initially partly cloudy in some areas. In the afternoon, rain or showers are expected across most of the country. Highest daytime temperatures will range from 13 °C to 18 °C, around 11 °C in western Bohemia.

  • 03/24/2026

    The police have detained three people suspected of deliberately setting fire to the LPP Holding arms warehouse in Pardubice. Today, they announced on X that one suspect was arrested in Slovakia, while the other two were detained in the Czech Republic. The detainees include citizens of the Czech Republic and the United States. The Czech police are continuing intensive efforts to apprehend additional suspects in cooperation with foreign partners, they added.

    An alleged international group called The Earthquake Faction publicly claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, the group said it opposes the activities of LPP Holding and Elbit Systems, which it claims develop weapons for Israel. The group’s members describe themselves as fighters for Palestinian rights.

    The arms company LPP itself denied that it manufactures drones for Israel. On the contrary, it states on its website that it has already supplied hundreds of AI-powered drones to Ukraine. In this context, the company has also attracted the attention of Russian media, with outlets such as Komsomolskaya Pravda reporting on it.

    Police are investigating the case as a suspected terrorist attack.

  • 03/24/2026

    An increase in gas prices this year is inevitable, especially in the second half of the year. The rise is therefore likely to be quickly reflected in new supplier tariffs. This follows from an analysis by the consulting company EGU. The expected price increase will be a result of the ongoing conflict in the Persian Gulf, with the analysis anticipating a significant disruption to gas supplies from Qatar.

    According to EGU’s project director Michal Kocůrek, price developments will depend primarily on how quickly new export capacities are increased, as well as on the response of individual regional markets. Asia may play a key role in this regard, as some countries could reduce their demand for gas, for example by increasing the use of alternative fuels and energy sources in electricity generation.

  • 03/24/2026

    According to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, the government will not abandon preparations for a transparency law that would provide a comprehensive overview of how much money flows from abroad to organizations lobbying for legislative changes. In a post on the social network X, he said rules need to be defined so they place minimal burden on NGOs providing services such as charity or youth activities.

    Each minister has been tasked with identifying which non-profit organizations are necessary and which are not, Babiš said, adding that the issue will require more time and deeper debate. According to him, there is a growing grey area between civic activism, lobbying, and foreign-funded influence on the state.

  • 03/24/2026

    Prime Minister Andrej Babiš admitted that next year’s state budget will have a higher deficit than this year. He justified this by the need for investment. The first budget proposed and approved by Babiš’s coalition government counts on a deficit of 310 billion crowns. It was signed last week by President Petr Pavel and came into effect on Saturday, ending the period of provisional budgeting. According to Babiš, the size of the deficit will be determined by the investments the Czech Republic needs. “We must invest in healthcare, that is the top priority, in mental health, we must continue with transport infrastructure. We must of course invest in security. We will see how it all turns out,” he said. Although it is only March, the government must already begin discussing next year’s budget, he added.

  • 03/24/2026

    The Czech government is not preparing legislation that would penalize organizations receiving foreign funding, Justice Minister Jeroným Tejc (ANO) said following Monday’s cabinet meeting.

    Instead, the government plans to introduce a decree expanding reporting obligations for non-profit organizations, requiring them to disclose details of their funding sources.

    According to Seznam Zprávy, a group of coalition MPs had been working on a draft law targeting NGOs financed partly from abroad. The proposal envisioned the creation of a new registry for entities operating in the Czech public sphere with any level of foreign funding or ties. The registry was to be managed by the Justice Ministry, which would also oversee compliance, handle administrative offenses, and impose sanctions. The proposal triggered strong criticism, with experts warning that it bore similarities to Russia’s “foreign agents” legislation.

  • 03/24/2026

    Czech Radio has protested against a plan by the ruling coalition to exempt selected groups from the obligation to pay licence fees, warning that introducing the measure in mid-2026 as planned would have severe economic consequences for public service media.

    Czech Television also cautioned that the proposed changes could undermine an existing memorandum on the provision of public service, which is tied to current legislation and valid until 2030.

    SPD leader and Chamber of Deputies Speaker Tomio Okamura said on Monday, following a coalition council meeting, that the coalition intends to submit a bill to the lower house which would exempt seniors over 75, companies, dependent young people under 26, and people with disabilities from the obligation to pay broadcasting fees. As a result, revenue from licence fees would revert to 2024 levels.

    The proposal is described as the first step toward the complete abolition of licence fees, a goal outlined in the government’s policy program.

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