News

Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka is on a two-day working visit to Israel, accompanied by a delegation of more than 30 representatives of Czech companies. Around a third of the firms in the business delegation are from the defence industry, while the minister has also highlighted the healthcare sector as a key area for expanding bilateral cooperation.

The delegation includes representatives of carmaker Škoda Auto, Czech firearms manufacturer Česká zbrojovka, part of the Colt CZ Group, defence companies STV Group and Excalibur Army of the CSG group, as well as 3D printer maker Prusa Research.

During the visit, Minister Macinka is scheduled to meet his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar, hold talks with other Israeli officials, attend the Czech-Israeli Business Forum in Tel Aviv, and sign a joint declaration with the Israeli foreign minister.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) has issued a level-two warning for very severe thunderstorms expected to affect the entire country on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Forecasters say the storms could bring torrential rain of around 50 millimetres, hail up to 2 centimetres in diameter and wind gusts of up to 90 km/h.

Strong thunderstorms are also expected on Wednesday, particularly in eastern Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, mainly during the afternoon and evening hours.

Motorists party MP Filip Turek was involved in a traffic accident near Prague's I. P. Pavlova metro station shortly after noon, the Czech News Agency reported. According to initial reports, his car collided with an ambulance, which overturned onto tram tracks. The ambulance driver was injured.

The ambulance, operated by Prague's Motol and Homolka university hospitals, was transporting blood and other biological material.

Police are investigating the crash. A police spokeswoman said the ambulance appeared to have been travelling with its emergency lights activated when the collision occurred.

A source familiar with the investigation told Czech media that Turek appeared to have been driving the car and remained at the scene after the accident.

Two former officers of Czechoslovakia's communist-era secret police (StB), who persecuted actor Tomáš Töpfer because of his political views and Jewish background, have received two-year suspended prison sentences under plea agreements with prosecutors. The agreements were approved by a court and are now final.

Töpfer, who took part in the criminal proceedings as the injured party, did not seek any compensation.

The court found that StB officer in question and his superior abused their authority by taking part in an operation codenamed Artist in the city of Ústí nad Labem between 1978 and 1984. At the time, Töpfer was an actor at the local drama theatre.

The StB monitored not only his work in the theatre, but also his activities in television and radio. According to the court, he was targeted because he expressed views critical of the socialist regime, distributed anti-state publications, and was of Jewish origin.