News

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) has canceled his scheduled engagements in the Moravian-Silesian and Zlín regions on Monday due to illness, though he reassured the public that it is not serious. Fiala expressed his regret on social media and hopes to return to work soon. It remains unclear whether he will attend the coalition meeting on the state budget set for Tuesday. His canceled schedule included opening a new faculty building at VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava and visits to Opava, Nový Jičín, and Zlín.

Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blažek (Civic Democratic Party) plans to introduce surrogacy into Czech law, with the process being approved by courts. As Czech Radio found out, currently unregulated and existing in a legal grey zone, surrogacy has become more common in the country, prompting legal reforms. Cases like the police operation "Španěl," which uncovered organized surrogacy schemes involving foreign mothers, highlighted the need for legislation. The new law would focus on ensuring that surrogacy is altruistic, with strict health and age criteria for surrogate mothers, while prohibiting any form of financial compensation beyond reimbursement of expenses.

The 77th annual Pálavské vinobraní wine festival in Mikulov attracted around 44,000 visitors, the same as last year, despite the hot weather. Organizers from Mikulovská rozvojová company noted that the event, which started on Friday and concluded on Sunday, faced challenges due to high temperatures and occasional strong winds. Highlights included a historical parade commemorating King Wenceslas IV and musical performances by popular artists like Ewa Farna and David Koller. The festival featured wine tastings of nearly 700 varieties. Pálavské vinobraní is the second-largest wine festival of the season, following the upcoming Znojemské vinobraní.

Czech Labor and Social Affairs Minister Marian Jurečka (Christian Democrats) announced plans to draft a proposal aimed at increasing the salaries of lower-paid state employees, rather than implementing a blanket pay rise. The government has already committed to raising the overall wage budget in the public sector by 8% starting in January 2025, amounting to over 24 billion CZK. Jurečka emphasized the need to prioritize those with low to middle incomes. The proposal will be discussed with union representatives after being finalized in the coming week. Czech unions threaten, strikes, and demonstrations if their demands are not met.