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Temperature records were broken at monitoring stations around the country on Tuesday. A new high for April 30 was recorded at 24 of the 168 stations that have been operating for at least 30 years. The highest temperature was in Husinec-Řež, where it reached 29.1 degrees Celsius.

Due to the warm, dry and windy weather, meteorologists have warned of an increased risk of fires across most of Czechia. The warning resulted in a ban on lighting fires in Prague on Walpurgis or “witch burning“ night on April 30.

German President Frank Walter Steinmeier also attended celebrations marking 20 years of Czech membership in the EU. Addressing a conference on the EU in Prague, President Steinmeier said that the anniversary of the “Big Bang” expansion in which ten countries from Central and Eastern Europe joined the alliance is an opportunity to reflect on what the Union has achieved, what is at risk and what needs to be done for a common secure future. He said Russia's aggression had drawn the EU member states closer and they must pull together to avert the security threat presented by the Putin regime.

President Steinmeier held talks in Prague with President Petr Pavel and Prime Minister Petr Fiala. They discussed the upcoming European elections, support for Ukraine, global security and energy issues, business and trade and cross-border cooperation. The German president noted that “Czech-German relations have never been better”.

Wednesday should be clear and dry with day temperatures between 21 and 25 degrees Celsius.

Prague Castle is hosting an international conference on 20 years of Czech membership in the EU. Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said that in the past two decades the EU had significantly contributed to Czechia’s security and prosperity and the country had shown itself to be a reliable member, ready to take on its share of responsibility and defend European values. Mr. Fiala also spoke of the need to help Ukraine defend its sovereignty and expressed support for EU enlargement to the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine, which he said would become an essential security guarantee in the years to come.

Addressing the gathering, President Petr Pavel said Czechia should adopt the euro in order to become a first-league player in Europe. Pavel indirectly criticized the government’s unwillingness to set a date for euro adoption, saying that only those countries that have not yet adopted the currency are dissatisfied with the euro.

In a video message to participants, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked Czechia for actively helping Ukraine to defend itself against Russian aggression and expressed the hope that his country would one day be able to join the alliance. Europe can only be strong if no one is left out in the cold, he said.

The 20th anniversary of the country’s accession to the EU will also be marked by a gala concert at the Rudolfinum performed by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. The Chamber of Commerce of the Czech Republic is also planning an event on 4 April to mark the anniversary and to evaluate EU membership from a business perspective.