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Interior Minister Vít Rakušan (Mayors and Independents Party) has assured that upcoming regional and Senate elections in flood-affected areas will proceed as planned on Friday and Saturday. The ministry will adjust logistics to ensure voting can occur smoothly, providing additional ballots and manuals for affected regions. Local officials may step in to replace missing election workers. New ID documents will be made available through an expedited process, which Rakušan will outline on Wednesday. Election commissions will be supported by mobile energy sources where necessary. Flood-hit areas in regions like Jesenicko will establish alternative voting spaces to ensure voter access despite the challenges.

The flood situation in Czechia is gradually calming, with extreme danger no longer present. However, the worst conditions remain in southern Bohemia, where the Rožmberk pond is overflowing. Damages could amount to tens of billions of crowns, according to regional officials, with insurance companies estimating losses at 17 billion Kč so far. Tens of thousands of homes remain without power, and schools remain closed in affected areas. Authorities are preparing to deploy military aid, and free vaccinations against hepatitis A will be offered in flooded regions. Rabbling incidents have been reported, and police have detained suspects in Ostrava, Krnov, and Opava.

Czech Industry Minister Jozef Síkela (Mayors and Independents Party) has been appointed as the European Commissioner for International Partnerships in the new European Commission, as announced by President Ursula von der Leyen at a press conference in Strasbourg. Síkela will oversee EU international cooperation, development policy, and the Global Gateway initiative, which aims to invest up to €300 billion in infrastructure in developing regions like Africa and India. This portfolio, previously held by Finland’s Jutta Urpilainen, includes managing the EU’s largest directorate-general, responsible for fostering democratic values, the rule of law, and human rights. According to Prime Minister Petr Fiala (Civic Democratic Party), Czechia has succeeded in its efforts to get a strong economic portfolio.

More than 500 prisoners have joined efforts to combat the ongoing floods. Their work ranges from clearing debris near Ruzyně prison in Prague to helping clean up Jablonec nad Nisou and setting up protections at Olomouc’s Sigma football stadium. Inmates are also prepared to assist in flood-affected areas. The Prison Service, which has not faced any direct threats to its facilities, remains ready with up to 800 prisoners and hundreds of staff on standby. The Prison Service has also launched a voluntary donation drive to support flood-affected communities, according to spokesperson Markéta Prunerová.