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Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) will hold talks in Bratislava next week with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker within the trilateral Slavkov format. According to the government’s office, Tuesday’s talks will focus primarily on the competitiveness of the European Union, energy policy, and regional cooperation. The tripartite consultations will take place ahead of an extraordinary EU summit on competitiveness to be held next Thursday.

Excalibur Army, a Czech defence manufacturer and part of entrepreneur Michal Strnad’s CSG arms group, has secured a contract worth more than CZK6bn (USD 300m) to produce over 100 Patriot armoured vehicles for a customer in Southeast Asia, the company said on Wednesday.

Deliveries of mortar vehicles and armoured personnel carriers are scheduled to be completed within three years. The Patriot vehicles are built on a Tatra wheeled chassis with a central load-bearing tube, which the company says ensures high mobility in difficult terrain.

Excalibur Army has previously supplied bridge systems, rocket launchers and ammunition to the region. CSG is one of Europe’s leading ammunition producers and employs over 14,000 people worldwide.

Victims of sexual abuse in the church are calling for the creation of an independent commission to investigate the cases. The proposal was presented to journalists on Thursday by victims’ representative Ladislav Koubek, ahead of a meeting with President Petr Pavel. The head of state met with around two dozen victims from Czechia and Slovakia.

The victims say the commission could follow models already used abroad and could operate under a research institution, a university, or the ombudsman’s office.

They are also calling for the resignation of České Budějovice Bishop Vlastimil Kročil, whom they accuse of covering up abuse. The group also opposes a planned Vatican treaty, warning it could expand confession secrecy, complicate investigations, and potentially conflict with the constitution.

Hundreds of trade unionists gathered in Ostrava on Thursday to demonstrate in support of European industry and job protection. The rally was held beneath the former blast furnace at the Dolní Vítkovice complex as part of the European Action Day organised by the IndustriAll Europe trade union federation.

The unions are calling for a review of the EU emissions allowance system, the protection of jobs, limits on cheap imports and stronger support for the competitiveness of Czech industry. Trade unionists from Poland, Slovakia and Hungary joined Czech workers at the demonstration.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) addressed the rally shortly after it began, sharply criticising current European regulations. He told the crowd he would do everything possible to protect Czech and European industry, prompting an enthusiastic response from those gathered.