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President Petr Pavel said remarks by lower house speaker Tomio Okamura have caused concern at home and abroad and that he will raise the issue with Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, leader of ANO Party. Writing on X, Pavel criticised statements from Okamura’s New Year address in which the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party leader attacked military aid to Ukraine and used derogatory language about Ukrainian leaders. Ukraine’s ambassador to Prague Vasyl Zvaryč condemned the comments as offensive and influenced by Russian propaganda. Czech opposition parties are now seeking a parliamentary vote on Okamura’s removal as speaker.

Czechia is among the countries that have offered medical assistance to Switzerland following a deadly fire. Health Minister Adam Vojtěch (ANO) said Switzerland had so far declined the deployment of a Czech medical team on site but was considering transferring patients to a burn centre in Prague. The offer remains open, with specialist staff and the Czech Fire Rescue Service ready to provide logistics. Swiss authorities have activated the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre and plan to move dozens of severely injured patients to hospitals across Europe after the blaze in Crans-Montana, which killed 40 people and injured more than 100. No Czech citizens are among the victims.

The first, lowest level of avalanche danger has been declared in the Krkonoše mountains, the Mountain Rescue Service said on Friday. It is the first avalanche warning of the current winter season. Snow cover on the ridges ranges between 20 and 50 centimetres, with around 30 centimetres of fresh snow from recent snowfall combined with strong south-westerly winds. Rescuers warn that small wind-slab avalanches may occur on lee slopes and gullies above the tree line. Similar conditions apply on the Polish side of the range. Further snowfall is forecast in the coming days, accompanied by strong winds and sub-zero temperatures.

Czech politicians and political scientists offered largely mixed reactions to the New Year’s address by President Petr Pavel, who sought to strike a unifying tone after a polarising election year. Foreign Minister Petr Macinka of the Motorists' party welcomed the president’s conciliatory message but criticised his broad praise of civil society. The Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party said it appreciated Pavel’s good wishes to the new ANO–SPD–Motorists government, while calling the speech overly general and lacking concrete solutions. Political scientists said Pavel avoided day-to-day politics but indirectly challenged the government by portraying Czechia as prosperous and safe. Analysts noted his emphasis on civil society echoed former president Václav Havel, while aiming to calm emotions in a divided society.