News

Czechs recognize climate change as a serious issue, but few see it as an immediate personal threat, according to a study by Institut 2050 prepared for Czech Radio. While there is a strong desire for quick solutions to address the impacts of climate change, such as droughts and floods, many reject one of the main scientific recommendations for mitigating climate change: the Green Deal for Europe. Although most Czechs distrust the Green Deal, the majority support modernizing the country's energy, industry, and transportation sectors, even if they remain attached to combustion engines.

Czech government ministers are due to visit the town of Krnov in the Moravia-Silesia Region, which suffered extensive damage in the September floods, to discuss the distribution of state aid for reconstruction and assess the situation on the ground. Many houses in the area remain inhabitable and residents are scrambling to dry their homes before the onset of winter. The military and firefighters are still helping to restore damaged infrastructure.

Krnov and Opava officials said earlier they are considering suing the state in connection with the extensive damage wrought by the September floods. According to the local authorities, the state is to blame for not having financed adequate flood protection measures on the Opava River in the 27 years since the devastating floods in 1997. They consequently hold it co-responsible for the extensive damage caused. They said their decision would depend on the state’s readiness to compensate individuals and firms for the damage caused.

The opposition ANO party would currently win general elections by a wide margin with 32.1 % of the votes, according to the results of a poll conducted by the STEM agency. The ruling Civic Democrats would receive 14.2 % of the vote and the Mayors and Independents would come third with 10.6 % of the vote.  The anti-EU, anti-migrant, Freedom and Direct Democracy Party would get 9.4 %, the Pirate Party, which recently left the ruling coalition, would get  5.9% and the Communist Party would get 5.3%. No other party would cross the required 5 % threshold needed to win seats in the lower house.

The Czech Republic is among several European Union countries seeking to normalise relations with Syria in order to facilitate the deportation of migrants, Czech Radio reported. They are arguing that the European strategy towards Damascus needs to be reset so as to secure cooperation and conditions for a voluntary, safe and sustainable return of Syrian refugees to their homeland. Earlier this year Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Greece, Croatia and Cyprus called on EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrel to consider such a course of action. The EU head of diplomacy indicated that such a move was unlikely in view of how the Syrian regime has been operating, with direct support from Russia and Iran. However he added that the Union was ready to explore ways to better support the Syrian people and their legitimate aspirations.