• 09/30/2024

    The winner of the 2024 Václav Havel Prize is María Corina Machado, a fighter for political freedom and citizens' rights in Venezuela, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Theodoros Rusopulos, announced on Monday.

    Machado is a leading political figure in Venezuela engaged in denouncing human rights abuses in her country and defending democracy and the rule of law. She is the co-founder of the Venezuelan volunteer civil organisation ‘Súmate’ for civil and political freedom, rights and citizen participation. The other two finalists are imprisoned Azerbaijani political activist Akif Gurbanov and Georgian feminist activist and lawyer Babuca Patarai.

    The Václav Havel Human Rights Prize rewards outstanding civil society action in defence of human rights in Europe and beyond.

  • 09/30/2024

    Tuesday should be overcast and rainy around most of the country and daytime highs between 12 and 16 degrees Celsius.

  • 09/30/2024

    The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová has declared a state of legislative emergency opening the way for the Chamber of Deputies to approve a proposed change to the 2024 draft budget in a fast track procedure on Tuesday. MPs will vote on a draft proposal to increase the 2024 state budget deficit by an additional CZK 30 billion, from CZK 252 billion to CZK 282 billion. The money is intended for repairing the damage caused by the floods that hit the Moravian-Silesian and Olomouc regions in mid-September.

  • 09/30/2024

    The Pirate Party is searching for a new leader and nominating candidates for leadership posts in the wake of the party’s dismal showing in the regional and Senate elections last week, after which the entire party leadership resigned. Several prominent party members have already declined the nomination for party chair, including outgoing Pirate Vice-Chair Jana Holomčík Leitnerová and Jakub Michálek, head of the Pirate Party’s deputies group in the lower house.  Among those nominated for the top post are  Senator Lukáš Wagenknecht, the governor of the Plzeň region Rudolf Špoták, Olomouc Region councillor Martin Šmída and Senator Adéla Šípová.

  • 09/30/2024

    The Ministry of Defence has not corrected some of the deficiencies identified in earlier audits, the Supreme Audit Office said on Monday. Specifically it stated that the ministry had failed to implement four of eleven recommended measures following a previous audit and only partially implemented two. According to the auditors, the renovation of selected military sites is falling behind schedule and there is a serious risk that the army will fail to build facilities in time for the military equipment it is buying. The Supreme Audit Office says the ministry has also failed to introduce a system for ordering and distributing equipment for the army.

  • 09/30/2024

    President Petr Pavel is meeting separately with the leaders of all five coalition parties on Monday to discuss the implications of the Pirate Party’s departure from the government following the dismissal of their leader Ivan Bartoš from government posts. The Pirates’ decision to walk out of the government, which is being sanctioned by an online vote, will necessitate a cabinet re-shuffle. The party’s two other ministers - Minister for Legislation Michal Šalomoun and Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský will both submit their resignations, although the latter has said he will also leave the Pirate Party. The change of guard will also affect ten deputy ministers from the Pirate Party and possibly also the Deputy Chair of the Chamber of Deputies, Olga Richterová.

    Ivan Bartoš said earlier that the Pirate Party would leave the government and the ruling coalition after their deputies’ club meeting on Tuesday.

  • 09/30/2024

    A group of Czech nationals were exploited as modern-day slaves in a UK branch of McDonald’s and in a pastry factory, the BBC has reported. According to its findings, a criminal gang exploited 16 vulnerable individuals from Czechia over a period of more than four years, while the companies involved allegedly ignored warning signs.

    The victims, many of whom were homeless or struggling with drug addiction, were forced to work in either a fast-food restaurant or a factory supplying baked goods to major supermarket chains.

    Although they were paid at least the legal minimum wage, nearly all of their earnings were seized by the gang. In some cases, four workers' wages were paid into a single account. The exploited individuals were living in cramped, substandard conditions, while their earnings were used to fund the gang’s luxury lifestyle.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/30/2024

    Thirteen personalities from the field of science, culture, sport and public life were awarded the Silver Commemorative Medal of the Senate by the Speaker of the Senate, Miloš Vystrčil, on Sunday, on the occasion of Czech Statehood Day on September 28.

    This year‘s laureates include the dean of the Faculty of Arts at Charles University, Eva Lehečková, former diplomat Michael Žantovský and actor Ivan Trojan.

    The tradition of honouring people who excel in their profession and have contributed to promoting the good name of the Czech Republic abroad was established in 2012.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/29/2024

    Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala wants to have the structure of the ruling coalition finalised by Wednesday, with the cabinet fully functional within two weeks.

    Speaking to CNN Prima News on Sunday, Mr Fiala did not rule out scrapping the post of Minister for Legislation if the Pirate Party exits the government. In that case, the Ministries of Regional Development and Foreign Affairs could be headed by the Mayors and Independents and Civic Democrats.

    The Prime Minister also said that the coalition will not seek a vote of confidence in the lower house following the Pirates' departure, and the government’s programme will remain unchanged.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/29/2024

    Monday will be partly cloudy with scattered showers and day temperatures ranging between 12 and 16 degrees Celsius.

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