News

The Czech Republic will appoint new ambassadors to several key diplomatic posts in the coming weeks, Foreign Minister Petr Macinka (Motorists) has confirmed. The first of 16 newly approved ambassadors are expected to take up their positions at the turn of July and August, with the remaining appointments to be completed by the end of the summer. Former foreign minister Jakub Kulhánek will become ambassador to the United States, moving from his current post as Czech ambassador to the United Nations. He is expected to be succeeded at the UN by outgoing National Security Adviser Hynek Kmoníček. New ambassadors will also be appointed to Italy and the OECD.

Environmental organisations in Czechia and the neighbouring German state of Saxony are launching a new project to strengthen cross-border cooperation in nature conservation. Led by the Liberec-based NGO Čmelák together with the Nature Conservation Centre of the Zittau Mountains, the three-year initiative aims to help smaller organisations overcome language barriers, limited staffing and the administrative complexity of international projects. By the end of 2028, organisers hope to establish at least ten new Czech-Saxon partnerships focused on biodiversity and habitat restoration. The project will also create an online directory, provide expert advice, interpreting services, workshops and exchange visits. It is funded by the Interreg Czechia–Saxony programme.

Police are investigating whether Czech MP Filip Turek committed a traffic offence during a high-speed drive near Prague's Strahov Stadium that was captured on video and recently resurfaced online.

The footage, which has circulated widely following Turek's traffic accident at I. P. Pavlova last week,  shows the Motorists party MP driving dangerously on the winding road below Strahov Stadium. The video dates back to 2021, when Turek took part in a Slovak YouTuber Dávid Matějíček's video featuring a Toyota sports car.

According to police, officers are examining whether Turek's actions amounted to a traffic offence. However, any offence may already be time-barred due to the age of the incident.

The video is not the only recording that appears to show Turek driving recklessly in normal traffic.

Czech President Petr Pavel has vetoed a controversial bill that would overhaul the country's public budget rules, the Presidential Office announced on Tuesday.

The legislation will now return to the Chamber of Deputies, which can override the presidential veto with a majority vote.

In explaining his decision, Pavel said the bill would fundamentally change how the current and future governments manage public finances. He argued it would threaten the long-term sustainability of public finances while weakening parliamentary oversight of public spending in favour of the government.

It is the third time Pavel has returned legislation to Parliament and the first time he has exercised the veto since Prime Minister Andrej Babiš's ANO-led government took office.

Finance Minister Alena Schillerová (ANO) said shortly after the announcement that the governing coalition would override the veto. In a post on X, she argued that without the bill next year's state budget deficit would have to be capped at 150 billion crowns, which she said would "devastate" both the economy and the country's defence capabilities. The government has planned a budget deficit of 310 billion crowns for this year.