Daily news summary
Government expected to confirm Jourová nomination on Monday
The Czech government is expected to confirm the nomination of Věra Jourová for a post in the new European Commission on Monday. The choice has received broad approval both from government officials and the opposition.
Ms. Jourová is currently the European commissioner for justice, consumers and gender equality and Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is hoping that her experience will increase the country’s chances of getting a more ambitious portfolio, such as the internal market or digitalization.
Konev statue cleaned up by members of public
Several people gathered on Saturday to clean-up the statue of Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev which had been splattered with red paint on the anniversary of the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia. The police did not intervene, the ctk news agency reported.
The local administration had refused to remove the paint, saying it reflected public opinion and calling on the Russian Embassy to enter into talks on moving the statue to embassy grounds.
Marshal Konev is perceived as a controversial figure in the Czech Republic. Although he helped liberate the country from Nazi oppression, he was also involved in the suppression of the Hungarian uprising in 1956 and the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961.
Země Živitelka culminates with harvest festival
The agricultural trade fair Země Živitelka in České Budějovice culminated with a traditional harvest festival at the weekend, attracting thousands of visitors.
Farmers from around the country took part in the traditional harvest parade that included majorettes, horse riders and falconers, as well as a live badger.
Agriculture Minister Miroslav Toman thanked farmers for their good work and for being increasingly friendly to the environment. He said that despite problems with drought the agricultural sector was in good shape.
The trade fair, the largest domestic show of agricultural equipment, products and animals, attracts over 100,000 visitors every year. It closes on Monday.
Experts deactivate hand grenade from WWII
The Vltava embankment near Podoli in Prague was closed to cyclists and pedestrians for over an hour on Sunday morning after two men pulled a hand grenade from the river.
Explosives experts confirmed it was a Mark II Fragmentation Hand Grenade from WWII which had been buried in the muddy bottom of the river for years. It was deactivated without the need to restrict cars and trams in the area.
Czech police officers helping in Bosnia
Czech police officers helped Bosnian security forces destroy over 220kg of heavy aerial bombs from World War II in an area close to Sana River in the northwest of the country at the weekend, local media reported.
Twenty Czech police officers are currently deployed in Bosnia within the framework of cooperation in the field of security between the Czech Republic and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Czech police divers have been involved in mine clearance in Bosnia since 2012.
Over 30,000 people living in “modern slavery” in the Czech Republic
According to the Global Slavery Index, there are currently over 30,000 people living in “modern slavery” in the Czech Republic, Czech Radio reported on Sunday. Offenders use them mainly for seasonal work or in construction.
The Czech Republic presently ranks 108th out of 167 countries on the Global Slavery Index. The country sentenced 16 people for human trafficking last year, according to data released by the Ministry of the Interior.
The victims are mostly people from socially disadvantaged groups and foreigners, mainly from Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania or Vietnam.
Weather forecast
Monday should be partly cloudy to overcast with rain in places and day temperatures between 27 and 31 degrees Celsius.
