Daily news summary
Senior Czech justice officials denounce Polish judicial reforms
Top Czech judges have denounced judicial reforms in neighbouring Poland as an attack on the rule of law. In a statement published on Friday, the Czech constitutional and supreme courts, supreme state attorney and Ombudswoman said that they could not remain silent in the face of steps that undermined the values of European civilization, humanism and fundamental rights and freedoms. Polish lawmakers have approved a bill from the governing Law and Justice party under which all current judges will be forced into retirement and the president given powers to choose which ones to reinstate.
Kubera refuses to confirm presidential run despite collecting signatures
Veteran Civic Democrat politician Jaroslav Kubera has refused to confirm whether he will stand for president, despite the news this week that he had collected the necessary signatures from other senators to enter January’s election. In an interview with Lidovky.cz on Saturday, Mr. Kubera said his current activities a “probe” and could help provoke another candidature that he himself would support. Aged 70, Mr. Kubera is a former mayor of Teplice and is known as a strong advocate of smokers’ rights.
Woman badly hurt after parachuting onto house
A woman was left seriously injured after she landed on the roof of a house near the Líně airfield in the Plzeň district during a solo parachute jump on Saturday morning. A police spokesperson said the woman, who is aged around 25, had suffered numerous injuries but was still conscious. She was apparently coming in to land on a grassy area before wind carried her onto the house in the village of Nová Ves.
Summer school of Slavonic Studies starts in Olomouc
An annual summer school of Slavonic Studies got underway in the Moravian city of Olomouc on Saturday. Over 100 students from 23 countries around the world are attending the course, with the youngest a 16-year-old girl from China and the oldest an American man of 73. The summer school is being held at Olomouc’s Palacký University for the 31st time.
Brno police publicising good deeds by locals on website
Police in Brno are publicising good deeds by local people on their official website, Czech Television reported on Saturday. They began posting such stories two weeks ago and have been adding one a day in a bid to encourage Brno residents to take greater interest in their surroundings. Examples to date include the story of a man who prevented thieves from stealing expensive equipment from a doctor’s surgery and the saving of a squirrel from a car showroom. The police said they had found inspiration in the work of writer Jaroslav Foglar, whose books were intended to inspire young people to socially-minded behavior.
Colours of Ostrava music festival draws to close
The four-day Colours of Ostrava music festival is drawing to an end, with UK artist Jamiroquai set to headline Saturday’s closing night. The Australian band Midnight Oil were the biggest draw on Friday, when they played their first ever show in the Czech Republic, while fans at the festival’s venue in Ostrava’s ex-industrial Vítkovice district have also got to see the likes of Norah Jones and Alt-J. This year’s has been the 15th edition of Colours of Ostrava, which is one of the biggest events of its kind in Central Europe.
Weather forecast
It should be quite sunny with the chance of storms in the Czech Republic on Sunday, with daytime highs of up to 27 degrees Celsius expected. Temperatures are set to fall to the low 20s Celsius during the week.
