• 10/03/2024

    The leadership of the Mayors and Independents Party has nominated outgoing Karlovy Vary Region governor Petr Kulhánek to head the Ministry for Regional Development. This decision was made during a meeting in the Chamber of Deputies. The ministerial post became vacant after Ivan Bartoš (Pirates) was dismissed on September 30 due to issues with the digitalization of construction processes, following a proposal by Prime Minister Petr Fiala (Civic Democratic Party). The Pirates, viewing Bartoš's dismissal as a breach of the coalition agreement, left the government, and the ministry was allocated to Mayors and Independents Party. Kulhánek is set to meet with Prime Minister Fiala on Friday and with President Petr Pavel on Monday, along with Lukáš Vlček, the same party's nominee for the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Both are expected to be appointed by the president on Tuesday morning.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 10/03/2024

    The Czech government and unions have agreed to a 1,400 CZK wage increase for public sector employees starting next year. Prime Minister Petr Fiala (Civic Democratic Party) and Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions leader Josef Středula announced the agreement, calling it a fair compromise. As a result, the unions will cancel their strike alert. The deal affects pay groups one to four, while further discussions will be held regarding group five, which includes education workers. The agreement does not impact the planned strike by judicial sector unions.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 10/03/2024

    The European Commission has called on the Czech Republic to stop discriminating against Roma children. According to the Commission, the country is not complying with EU laws on combating racial and ethnic discrimination, prompting the launch of an infringement procedure against Prague. The issue revolves around the segregation of Roma children in schools, a problem the Commission says Czech authorities are not addressing effectively. Despite past warnings, the Czech Republic has two months to respond and resolve the shortcomings. Infringement proceedings involve two stages: a formal notice, followed by potential referral to the European Court of Justice if the issues are not resolved.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 10/03/2024

    The weather will be cloudy to overcast, with rain or showers initially in some areas and later across most of the country. High temperatures from 8 to 12°C.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 10/03/2024

    The Czech Chamber of Deputies continue discussing the government’s pension reform into the night on Thursday, after the coalition extended the parliamentary session but no deal seems to be emerging. This follows Wednesday’s proceedings, which ended at 10 p.m. based on a club agreement. Coalition leaders, like Christian Democrat Aleš Dufek, argue that the extended session will ensure the debate gets the necessary attention. Opposition MPs have dominated the early hours of Thursday's debate with brief speeches, focusing on generational care and maintaining dignified pensions. Labor Minister Marian Jurečka highlighted recent increases in care allowances and defended means-tested birth grants over universal ones.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 10/03/2024

    President Petr Pavel has nominated Dita Řepková from the Regional Court in Brno as a new judge of the Constitutional Court, to replace David Uhlíř, whose term ends in December. This marks Pavel’s 11th nomination to the 15-member court, meaning the court has been two-thirds renewed since he took office. Řepková previously served as an assistant to former Constitutional Court judge Eliška Wagnerová and has worked at the Brno court since 2008. Pavel is expected to nominate two more judges during his term, with Jaromír Jirsa’s term ending in October 2025 and Josef Fiala’s in December 2025.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 10/03/2024

    Scientists from Palacky University in Olomouc have created new-generation antibiotics that are highly effective against a broad range of bacteria and can prevent the development of bacterial resistance. The team transformed manganese, an essential trace element, into a powerful antibiotic by incorporating it into chemically modified graphene. Tests on animal models showed great potential, particularly for local therapies, such as wound healing. The research was conducted by experts from Palacký University, VSB-Technical University of Ostrava, and Chinese collaborators. A European patent has been filed for the new material.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 10/03/2024

    More than a third of the expected 500,000 rounds of ammunition, scheduled for delivery by the end of the year under a Czech initiative, has already reached Ukraine, according to Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Zvaryč. In an interview with the Czech Press Agency (ČTK), Zvaryč said he had no information about issues with the ammunition, contrary to recent reports from the German newspaper Handelsblatt. Ukraine is also in talks with the Czech Ministry of Defence to expand the initiative, which sources artillery ammunition for Ukraine from countries both within and outside the EU.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 10/03/2024

    Rectors, along with Education Minister Mikuláš Bek, will formally open the new academic year at a ceremony in Prague's Congress Centre today. Attendees will include university officials, politicians, and representatives from the National Accreditation Office. Speakers will include Eva Zažímalová, head of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and Milena Králíčková, rector of Charles University. The event will be followed by a plenary session of the Czech Rectors' Conference, focusing on the future of higher education and university funding.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 10/03/2024

    The government has moved to correct disparities in the financing of the education sector, Education Minister Mikuláš Bek told journalists on Wednesday. The present system gives all schools the same amount of money regardless of how demanding their work is or how good a job they do, he said. The proposed amendment will make it possible to send more money to schools that work with socially disadvantaged children or work systematically with gifted children, Bek said. The proposal also introduces rules for the functioning of school psychologists and assistants for children with special needs in primary schools.

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