News

Partly cloudy to mostly clear, with increased cloud cover in some areas during the morning and lingering showers or rain, especially in the south and southeast. The highest daytime temperatures will range from 20°C to 25°C, reaching up to 26°C in South Moravia.

President Petr Pavel will attend tonight's informal leaders' dinner at the NATO summit in Ankara at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He told reporters in Prague before departing for the summit. The Czech government has delegated Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) to attend the informal dinner as well, accompanied by his wife, Monika.

Today, President Pavel will also take part in the alliance's defence industry economic forum. "Above all, I want to emphasize that the Czech Republic has a long tradition in the defence industry," he said. His schedule also includes a meeting organized by the Munich Security Conference. On Wednesday, he will attend a working breakfast hosted by the Globsec security conference.

The Chamber of Deputies is set to vote again today on a controversial bill concerning public finances. The legislation was returned by the Senate for reconsideration after senators proposed several amendments. In its second reading, MPs will also debate a proposal to reinstate the Electronic Sales Registration system. According to the government, the revised system is intended to create a level playing field for businesses and generate billions of crowns in additional revenue for public budgets. The parliamentary session is expected to continue late into the night.

The public finance bill has sparked controversy mainly because it would allow the government to increase certain state expenditures beyond the approved budget framework. Critics argue that the measure would weaken the rules of fiscal responsibility, give the cabinet excessive freedom to spend public money, and ultimately lead to a dangerous increase in the national debt.

People across Czechia are marking the national holiday commemorating the death of religious reformer Jan Hus, who was burned at the stake in the German city of Constance 611 years ago because of his religious teachings. The main commemorative service takes place in the afternoon at Prague’s Bethlehem Chapel, where Hus preached in the early 15th century. It will be led by Patriarch Tomáš Butta of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church, together with other church leaders, and will be broadcast live by Czech Television and Czech Radio. Celebrations also continue for a second day in Husinec, Hus’s birthplace in southern Bohemia.