• Poles investigating Russian network after Czech revelations
    03/29/2024

    Poland’s ABW counter-intelligence service is investigating the activities of a Russian network targeting EU member states and institutions, a government official said on Friday, the new site onet.pl reported.

    The Polish government is cooperating with the Czech secret service, BIS, after the latter uncovered a Russian-financed influence network in Czechia that was reportedly seeking to undermine political processes in six EU states. The implicated subjects were placed on the country’s own sanctions list.

    Meanwhile Politico reported that the Belgian prime minister, Alexander De Croo, referred to the case in his country’s parliament on Friday.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Healthy woman undergoes abortion after mix-up at Prague hospital
    03/29/2024

    A woman without any health difficulties was given an abortion following a mix-up at Prague’s Bulovka University Hospital this week. The woman had visited the hospital for a regular check-up. She and the other patient whose identity was confused were both foreign citizens.

    The Ministry of Health said that the case had come about due to inexcusable human error. The hospital has offered an apology to the family and said it would provide financial compensation to them. The staff involved have been suspended. The police said on Saturday that they were treating the matter as a case of bodily harm.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Weather forecast
    03/29/2024

    It should be mainly overcast in Czechia on Saturday, with an average high temperature of 21 degrees Celsius. Similar weather is expected on the following days.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Media: AfD’s Bystroň got cash from Czech-based Russian network
    03/29/2024

    Czech-born German politician Petr Bystroň from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party received money from a Russian influence network in Prague, the Czech news outlet Denik N and Germany’s Der Spiegel reported.

    The information came from the Czech counterintelligence service, known by the acronym BIS, which said on Wednesday that it had broken up a Russian group seeking to influence European elections and spread anti-Ukraine propaganda.

    Two individuals, including pro-Russian Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk, were placed on Czechia’s sanctions list, meaning their assets were frozen.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Fire on Prague’s Wenceslas Square quickly contained
    03/28/2024

    Firefighters were called to a fire at the lower end of Prague’s Wenceslas Square on around midday on Thursday. The fire originated on the roof of a construction site where work was underway at the time. The building was evacuated and the fire was quickly contained. No one was reported injured. The cause of the fire is being investigated.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • President striving to achieve broad consensus on pension reform
    03/28/2024

    President Petr Pavel on Thursday mediated talks between the ruling parties and the opposition on the government’s pension reform plans so as to try to pave the ground for a broad consensus. He said the talks had been constructive and the two sides were in agreement that a pension reform is inevitable and that the retirement age will have to be gradually increased. The debate on how pensions should be calculated and the possibility of early retirement for people working in hazardous professions remains open. President Pavel entered the dispute as a mediator after the opposition slammed the government’s proposals as asocial and said they would cancel some of the measures if they win the 2025 elections.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Weather forecast
    03/28/2024

    Friday should be clear to partly cloudy and mostly dry with day temperatures between 17 and 22 degrees Celsius.

  • President Zeman improving, but will remain hospitalized

    03/28/2024

    Former president Miloš Zeman (79) who is recovering at Prague’s Motol Hospital after undergoing surgery to deal with a blood clot in his leg is reported to be improving. Doctors say Mr. Zeman is recovering as well as can be expected and is rehabilitating, although his condition remains serious due to the risk of further blood clots. His condition is linked to diabetes. A hospital spokesperson said it is not clear for how long Zeman will need to be hospitalized.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Elite tax evasion unit Cobra preventing huge tax losses
    03/28/2024

    The country’s elite tax evasion unit, Cobra, has prevented tax losses to the tune of CZK 16 billion in its ten year existence. Last year alone it detected tax fraud to the tune of CZK 1 billion, Customs Administration head Marek Šimandl told reporters on Thursday. The elite tax evasion unit enables various branches of the state administration to combine tax expertise with criminal procedures and better intervene against tax crime. The project does not create special teams or departments, but uses existing capacities without additional financial requirements, Šimandl said.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Rail traffic in Prague disrupted by vandals
    03/28/2024

    Rail traffic between Prague’s main railway station and Libeň was disrupted for close to an hour late on Wednesday afternoon by a group of youngsters who were throwing stones at passing trains. Fortunately they did not cause any significant damage and fled the scene when someone alerted the police. Traffic was fully restored at 6pm. Police are still looking for the culprits. There have been previous incidents of teenagers throwing stones or objects from bridges at cars passing below them.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

Pages