News

If its budget were reduced by approximately one billion Czech crowns, as envisaged in the government's proposed legislation from next year, Czech Television (ČT) would have to lay off between 300 and 500 employees. This was stated today at the Digimedia conference by deputy director-general Milan Fridrich. ČT currently employs nearly 3,000 people and operates with a budget of 8.5 billion crowns.

According to Fridrich, in addition to mass layoffs and the associated severance costs, ČT would also have to cancel major production projects already underway, including drama productions. This would lead to further expenses in the form of contractual penalties for terminating projects.

In 2028, the public broadcaster also faces the prospect of losing an additional 400 to 450 million crowns that it currently receives through an exemption allowing VAT deductions. This exemption is set to expire at the end of next year.

A Prague court has accepted an indictment against a suspected Chinese intelligence operative who allegedly worked in Prague under journalistic cover, marking the first case in which a person will stand trial in the Czech Republic for unauthorized activity on behalf of a foreign power.

According to Seznam Zprávy, the accused worked in Prague as a correspondent for a Chinese newspaper affiliated with the ruling Chinese Communist Party. The outlet said he had operated in the Czech Republic for years, repeatedly receiving accreditation extensions from the government.

He conducted interviews with Czech and Slovak politicians and, according to Czech intelligence services cited by Seznam Zprávy, allegedly sought to gather information from them.

The suspect has been in custody since his arrest in January and faces up to five years in prison if convicted.

This year's May has gone down as one of the deadliest months for Czech motorcyclists in recent years, with 11 riders killed in traffic accidents, the news website Novinky.cz reported citing police sources.

According to the head of the Czech Traffic Police Michal Hodboď responsibility lies with both motorcyclists and car drivers. Among riders, accidents are often linked to limited experience after the winter break, rider error, or losing control of the motorcycle in bends. Among motorists, the most common causes are failure to yield and overlooking motorcycles while overtaking, he said.

Since the beginning of the year, 24 motorcyclists have died on Czech roads, including one passenger. Eleven of those fatalities occurred in May alone. During the first five months of last year, 10 motorcyclists lost their lives, 14 fewer than this year. A total of 60 motorcyclists were killed in 2025.

French electronic component supplier Linxens, whose products are used in Czech identity cards, is partly owned by two Chinese investment firms that the United States placed under trade restrictions in 2024 over national security concerns, the Financial Times reported.

According to the newspaper, detailed knowledge of national identity documents could pose an intelligence risk. Linxens is owned through a holding company backed by Beijing-based private equity firms Wise Road Capital and JAC Capital, both of which were sanctioned by the US over allegations they helped China acquire sensitive semiconductor technologies.

The Czech state security printer said it had identified no security risks. It noted that the chip itself was produced by a “trusted Dutch company” and that Linxens met all legal requirements for participation in the procurement process.