• 06/13/2024

    Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský and seven of his European counterparts have called on EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to introduce swift restrictions on the movement of Russian diplomats in the Schengen Area. Czechia has long been pushing for such restrictions to be part of the EU's 14th sanctions package against Russia.

    Many Russian "diplomats" in the European Union abuse their positions to gather intelligence, carry out espionage, disseminate propaganda and even plan acts of sabotage, the foreign ministers said in their letter addressed to the head of EU diplomacy. The EU should maintain the principle of reciprocity and restrict the movement of Russian diplomats and their family members exclusively to the territory of the country where they are posted, they wrote. This measure would substantially reduce the operational space of Russian agents and make it more difficult for them to carry out activities harmful to EU security, according to the ministers from Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania.

    Author: Anna Fodor
  • 06/13/2024

    Czechia intends to buy up to 77 German-made Leopard 2A8 battle tanks at a cost of CZK 52 billion, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said at a press conference.

    The government took a step toward the purchase on Wednesday when it decided to become part of an agreement on the joint acquisition of tanks with other European states, led by Germany.

    Mr. Fiala said the joint procurement with Germany would help to push the price down and allow the involvement of Czech industry.

    The Leopard tanks are intended to replace Soviet vehicles. The Czech Army should have a total of 122 Leopard-made tanks from 2030.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 06/13/2024

    Czechia’s Jakub Vadlejch has taken gold in the javelin at the European Athletics Championships in Rome. The 33-year-old had been third in the standings but went on to win with his final throw, of 88.65 metres, on Wednesday evening.

    It is the first major gold of Vadlejch’s career and also the first gold won by the Czech team in Rome.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 06/12/2024

    Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová arrived in Prague on Wednesday for her last visit to Czechia before the end of her five-year mandate. Her talks with President Petr Pavel covered the conflict in Ukraine and its impact on the global economy and security, the results of the European Parliament elections and Czech-Slovak ties. At a joint press conference at Prague Castle on Wednesday, President Pavel thanked the Slovak head of state for her significant contribution to Czech-Slovak relations. President Čaputová highlighted the two countries’ exceptionally close ties, saying that the strong bond between Czechs and Slovaks was particularly important at a time of crises and challenges.

    On Thursday President Pavel will present the Slovak leader with Czechia’s highest state distinction, the Order of the White Lion. She will also address the 10th Prague European Summit at Černín Palace.

  • 06/12/2024

    The driver of a passenger train involved in a fatal head-on collision in Pardubice last week realised he had missed a signal and managed to stop the train. However, the driver of a second, cargo train received no warning and did not manage to brake before the accident, the head of the Railways Inspectorate said on Wednesday.

    Four women died in what was the most deadly two-train collision in Czechia in several decades. Over two dozen people were injured.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 06/12/2024

    People classified as victims in the case of a mass shooting at Prague’s Charles University in December may now view the criminal file in the case, the police said on Wednesday. A basic six-month term for closing the case is due to end on June 20.

    The news site Seznam Zprávy wrote on Wednesday that the lone gunman, who took his own life on the scene, had been motivated by a wish to get revenge on a society that had failed to understand him. The police later said on social media that the report was highly inaccurate.

    Fourteen people died at the university’s main Faculty of Arts building in the worst mass shooting incident in modern Czech history.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 06/12/2024

    The Brno transport authority has introduced a cash bonus for drivers who do not crash, Novinky.cz reported on Wednesday. Every bus, tram or trolleybus driver who makes it from the start of June until the end of November without being involved in a collision will get CZK 10,000, the news site said. The move is intended to encourage them to be more careful in their work.

    The Brno transit company, which handles a million passengers every day, has over 1,400 drivers on its books.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 06/12/2024

    The Czech lower house on Wednesday morning began a final debate on the introduction of postal voting for Czechs abroad. Representatives of the two opposition parties in the Chamber of Deputies, ANO and Freedom and Direct Democracy, slammed the government bill, with one MP for the latter saying it was an attack on the Czech Constitution.

    The opposition parties have filibustered during previous discussions of postal voting and on Wednesday lunchtime around 30 of their MPs had signed up to address the lower house on the matter.

    Pundits say postal voting would be more likely to benefit the governing parties.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 06/12/2024

    It should be mainly overcast in Czechia on Thursday, with an average high temperature of 17 degrees Celsius. The following days are also expected to be cloudy, but warmer.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 06/12/2024

    Footballer Michal Sadílek says riding a go-kart while at a training camp in Austria with the Czech national team, which resulted in an injury to him, was a mistake. The 25-year-old was forced to pull out of the squad for the European Championships after a fall left him requiring stitches in his leg.

    Sadílek said on social media that he was touched his teammates had been photographed with his jersey after their final warm-up game before the Euros on Monday.

    The Czechs play their opening group game in the competition against Portugal next Tuesday.

    Author: Ian Willoughby

Pages