• PM Babiš: Turek should be given a chance to work through his past
    01/05/2026

    ANO party leader and Prime Minister Andrej Babiš says Filip Turek, the honorary president of the Motorists’ party, should be given the opportunity to become a minister and convince the public that he wants to work through his past and controversial statements. Writing on Instagram, Babiš said Turek deserved a chance to prove himself, even if some issues “do not look ideal”. The Motorists’ party insists on Turek’s nomination to lead the environment ministry. Babiš is set to discuss the matter with President Petr Pavel, who has previously signalled he would not appoint Turek. Turek has faced criticism over racist and homophobic social media posts, for which he has apologised, while denying authorship of some.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • PM Babiš hopes US intervention in Venezuela will lead to democracy
    01/05/2026

    Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said he hopes a US intervention in Venezuela will lead to freedom and democracy for its citizens. Speaking on Instagram, Babiš said he hoped Venezuelans would be able to choose a democratic system after US forces detained authoritarian president Nicolás Maduro and his wife during an unexpected operation in Caracas. Babiš said Czechia is primarily focused on the fate of Czech citizen Jan Darmovzal, who has been held by Venezuelan authorities since September 2024.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Audit office: Passport and visa services still not properly digitalised
    01/05/2026

    The Czech Supreme Audit Office (Supreme Audit Office) says efforts to digitalise passport and visa services have failed, leaving officials reliant on manual data entry, paper files and couriers. Systems used by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remain poorly interconnected, despite hundreds of millions of crowns earmarked for upgrades. According to auditors, work on new systems costing more than CZK 700 million has not yet begun. Delays have been blamed on missed deadlines, late legislation and funding issues, with both ministries still running parallel systems at sharply increased costs.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Government to approve policy statement, faces dispute over Turek nomination
    01/05/2026

    The new Czech government of ANO, the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party and the Motorists' party is set to approve its policy statement at its first meeting of the year. The document pledges not to raise taxes, to reintroduce electronic sales registration and to halt steps toward adopting the euro. The cabinet, led by ANO party leader Andrej Babiš, plans to seek a confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies next week. Ministers are also expected to address the controversial nomination of Motorists’ MP Filip Turek as environment minister. President Petr Pavel has made clear he opposes Turek’s appointment and has indicated he may refuse to name him to the post.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Czech under-20s beat Canada 6–4 to reach World Junior final
    01/05/2026

    The Czech Republic’s under-20 ice hockey team defeated Canada 6–4 in the semi-finals of the IIHF World Junior Championship and will play for gold against Sweden. Tomáš Poletín scored the winning goal in the 59th minute, with Vojtěch Čihař adding an empty-netter 26 seconds from the end, his second goal of the game. The Czechs have reached the final for the first time in three years and will chase their first gold since 2001. With silver and two bronzes from recent tournaments, they have now secured a fourth straight medal. Canada will face Finland in the bronze-medal game.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Weather forecast
    01/04/2026

    On Monday, expect partly cloudy to clear skies, with isolated freezing fog in the morning. Highest temperatures will range from −6 to −1 °C.
    Author: Jakub Ferenčík

  • About 50 people protest in Prague in front of US embassy against attack on Venezuela
    01/04/2026

    Approximately 50 people, mostly young people, protested on Sunday afternoon in Prague in front of the United States embassy against the US attack on Venezuela. They compared the actions of US President Donald Trump, for example, to Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022 or to the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Soviet troops in 1968. The peaceful protest lasted about an hour. Demonstrators brought banners, chanted slogans against the US, and expressed support for Venezuela.
    Author: Jakub Ferenčík

  • PM Babiš to propose Turek to president to head Environment Ministry
    01/04/2026

    Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO), according to Deputy Prime Minister and ANO vice-chair Karel Havlíček, will propose to President Petr Pavel that Filip Turek, honorary president of the Motorists party, head the Ministry of the Environment. Havlíček said this on Sunday on Czech Television’s program Questions of Václav Moravec. President Petr Pavel has already previously indicated that he refuses to appoint Turek. Babiš and Pavel are likely to discuss the situation on Wednesday, January 7, when the president’s New Year’s lunch with the prime minister is scheduled.
    Author: Jakub Ferenčík

  • Deputy PM Havlíček: Attack in Venezuela was unconventional, but Czechia should support US
    01/04/2026

    According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček (ANO), the American attack in Venezuela was unconventional, but Czechia should clearly support the United States. Havlíček said this on Sunday’s episode of Czech Television’s program Questions of Václav Moravec. According to him, the attack could also increase pressure for a drop in oil prices, which could subsequently weaken Russia’s position.
    Author: Jakub Ferenčík

  • FM Macinka will summon Zvarych to discuss criticism of Okamura
    01/04/2026

    Foreign Minister Petr Macinka (Motorists) will summon Ukraine’s ambassador in Prague, Vasyl Zvarych. He wants to address the ambassador’s comments on remarks made by Chamber of Deputies Speaker Tomio Okamura (SPD) about Ukraine and its leadership in a New Year’s address. Finance Minister Alena Schillerová (ANO) said this in Sunday’s Partie programme on Prima TV. The planned meeting was also confirmed to CTK by the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, Mariana Wernerová. According to the spokesperson, the date is still being arranged. Opposition politicians have expressed surprise that the leaders of ANO and the Motorists did not distance themselves from Okamura’s statements; instead, they are criticising the Ukrainian ambassador and demanding an explanation from him.
    Author: Jakub Ferenčík

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