Daily news summary

President Zeman: Czech Republic should stand up for Hungary

The Czech Republic should stand up for Hungary in its dispute with the European Union, not only because it is a close ally, but because the Czechs themselves could one day find themselves in a similar position, President Zeman said in an interview for commercial TV Barrandov on Thursday.

The Czech head of state criticized the European Parliament’s decision to launch a procedure against Hungary over its alleged breach of core EU values.

Mr. Zeman said Hungary was defending itself against pressures to conform and the other countries of the Visegrad group – the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia – could find themselves in a similar situation in the future.

Probation Service issues e-bracelets to monitor convicts outside prison

The Probation Service has begun putting electronic bracelets into operation for convicts allowed to serve sentences outside of prison. A defect in the monitoring devices delivered in an earlier tender had scuppered a previous initiative.

Despite two general amnesties and efforts over the past decade to promote alternative sentences, such as house arrest and work-release programmes, the Czech penal system remains at overcapacity.

In 2016 there were 203 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants in the country, about 25 more than in other post-communist EU countries, at twice as many as in Austria and Germany, where alternative sentencing is common.

Czech bells to ring nationwide on International Day of Peace

Bells in Czech churches, town halls and other historic buildings will ring out on Friday evening from 6:00 to 6:15 on the occasion of the International Day of Peace.

In Europe, the Czech Republic and more than a dozen other countries will ring bells simultaneously to commemorate the end of World War I a century ago, and the start and end of the Thirty Years’ War in the year 1618.

Travelling exhibition on Romani life in Czechoslovakia opens in Prague

An exhibition about the Roma in Czechoslovakia has opened in the New Town Hall in Prague. Sections of it examine the life of the Romani minority during the First Republic, the Nazi occupation, under the communist regime, and after Velvet Revolution of 1989.

The travelling exhibition will be on display in Prague until November 10th, after which it will be shown in other big Czech and Slovak cities.

Europa League: Slavia Prague defeats Girondins Bordeaux

Slavia Prague defeated French team Girondins Bordeaux at home crowd 1: 0 on Thursday evening in the opening match of the Europa League group stage.

Czech midfielder Jaromír Zmrhal, who scored the only goal of the match, described it as the most beautiful one of his career. Meanwhile, Jablonec lost 2:1 to French side Stade Rennes.

Weather outlook

Cloudy skies and cooler temperatures are expected throughout the country on Friday, with light rain possible in the east. Daytime highs should reach 15 to 19 degrees Celsius. Rain is expected almost nationwide on Saturday.