News

Weather forecasters have warned that flooding may occur in several regions of the country as heavy rain continues to swell smaller rivers. A third degree flood alert was called on Friday afternoon for the river Velička in South Moravia. Lower-level flood alerts have also been called for the Karlovy Vary, Plzeň and Ústí nad Labem regions and some regions of Moravia. Up to 50 mm of precipitations have been registered overnight in some parts of the Czech Republic. More rain is expected over the next 48 hours.

The Czech National Gallery is returning some of its most valuable objects to the Catholic Church in line with the church restitution law. Among those is a set of unique panel paintings by Vyšebrod Altar Masters from the 14th century and two Baroque paintings by Peter Paul Rubens. The new head of the National Gallery Jiřá Fajt says visitors will still be able to see the pictures, since the gallery signed a contract on their free loan. According to Mr Fajt the Church has so far demanded 544 objects on the basis of the church property deal.

President Miloš Zeman has asked Interior Minister Milan Chovanec to comply with the application of 40 families of Volhyn Czechs in Ukraine to be repatriated to the Czech Republic. The group of ethnic Czech families applied in the spring in the face of developments in Ukraine but was turned down by the Czech Foreign Ministry which contended that Ukraine would be able to ensure their security and rights. The group also wrote to the president asking for help. The Volhyn Czechs expressed the fear not of reprisals by the Ukrainian majority but of a war between Ukraine and Russia. The Czech interior minister said he would look into the matter and made clear he was not opposed if there were no legal barriers. He said, however, he wanted to know the position of the Foreign Ministry first.

An autopsy has confirmed that a nine-year-old child found dead after she went missing in Klášterec nad Ohří in the Chomutov area was murdered. The little girl failed to return home from school on Tuesday afternoon; her body was found a day later within a kilometre of her home. Police have released no additional details as the investigation is ongoing. Residents of the town responded to the tragedy by laying flowers and stuffed toys and candles at the child’s school. Town representatives also called a meeting with state police and school administrators to decide on next steps. As a result, security in front of local schools will be heightened by police patrols. Principals are asking parents to accompany their children to school, whenever possible, while pupils are being told to remain in groups.