Politics & Economics

Biden Calls Czechia “Great Ally” During White House Meeting with PM Fiala

President Joe Biden urged the U.S. House to immediately take up Senate-passed supplemental funding for Ukraine and Israel on Monday as he hosted Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala in the Oval Office. The visit came as Biden aimed to highlight the efforts other nations are making to support Ukraine. It followed the Czech government’s announcement that it is sending 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition to Ukraine, which Kyiv says is badly needed on the battlefield against Russia’s invasion. “As the Czech Republic remembers, Russia won’t stop at Ukraine,” Biden said. He appealed to Congress to pass the supplemental funding so the U.S. could do its part to help Ukraine. “They have to do it now,” Biden said. Fiala praised the U.S. president for his leadership in support of Ukraine, adding, “We are also doing our best.” He said, “In 1968 I saw Russian tanks in the streets of my town, and I don’t want to see this again.” Biden called the Czech Republican a “great ally” in NATO, as Fiala said his country’s decision to purchase F-35 fighter jets from the U.S. will “make our cooperation and security much stronger.” He also recalled the role of the United States...

by Prague Morning Apr 16, 2024

Czech Inflation Stagnated at 2% in March

Inflation in Czechia remained at 2% in March, the same year-on-year growth as in February, which is the lowest inflation rate since December 2018. It increased by 0.1% month on month, driven by higher prices in the transportation sector, including the government raising those for motorway vignettes. As of March 1, the price of annual motorway vignettes was raised after ten years from CZK1,500 to CZK2,300 to reflect inflation development and will be indexed from now onwards. The change was approved last year as part of austerity measures aimed at tackling the budget deficit. Despite the y/y stagnation, “the price development in individual divisions of the consumer basket was different,” commented Pavla Sediva of the Czech Statistical Office (CZSO). “Food and non-alcoholic beverages was the only division where prices were lower, approximately by 6% y/y,” she added. Prices of fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment increased by 4.8% y/y, and the price of highway vignettes increased by 53.3%. In the food and non-alcoholic beverages sector prices of flour decreased by 27.8% y/y, prices of pork were down by 5.7%, yoghurts by 7.9%, fruit by 2.9% and vegetables by 4.9%. CZSO highlighted that “the biggest influence on the growth of...

by Prague Morning Apr 11, 2024

Czech Lawmakers Approve Tougher Rape Law

The Czech parliament on Wednesday voted to toughen legislation on rape, with stricter definitions that classify all sexual abuse of children under 12 as rape or assault. The amendment, which has to be passed by the Senate and signed by the president to take effect, was approved by lawmakers across the chamber. Following the “no means no” principle, the bill changes the definition of rape from forced intercourse to intercourse without consent. It says disapproval can be expressed by a gesture or crying, and also protects victims unable to protest because of an illness, inebriation, sleep, or bondage. The bill also introduces the crime of sexual assault for acts that do not involve intercourse. In defending the new rules, lawmakers noted that 16 European countries had also recently changed the legal definition of rape. Some use the “yes means yes” concept, which insists on a declaration of consent, while others employ “no means no” like the Czech Republic. Other European countries including France, Italy, and Poland use the traditional definition of rape based on violence or threat. Would you like us to write about your business? Find out more

by Prague Morning Apr 10, 2024

Czech Government Invests Six Billion Euros in New Nuclear Reactors

The Czech government is investing in nuclear energy as a means to decarbonization. The Czech government wants the new units to gradually go into service between 2029 and 2040, and fully phase out from Coal and Lignite by 2033. The goal is for oil and gas to be phased out by 2050, according to the ambitious National Energy and Climate Plan. The Czech Republic is traditionally a carbon energy exporter, yet its government is seemingly ready to cut ties. In a speech made in March at a nuclear energy summit in Brussels, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said, “From the Czech perspective, nuclear is a cost-effective way to decarbonization. It brings grid stability and security of supply. It is the only way to reach our energy independence.” According to an exclusive IPSOS and Euronews poll, the Czech people are the least concerned EU electors, after the Poles, by climate change. 34% agree that climate is a priority, whilst 21% do not. Industry and Trade Minister Jozef Sikela said an assessment of the bids should be completed by the end of May. The Czech Republic already relies on six nuclear reactors to generate more than a third of its electricity. Besides...

by Prague Morning Apr 09, 2024

“Russia is Trying to Sabotage European Railways”, Says Czech Transport Minister

Russia has made “thousands” of attempts to interfere with European rail networks in a campaign to destabilize the EU and sabotage critical infrastructure, the Czech Republic’s transport minister has said. Martin Kupka told the Financial Times that Moscow was suspected of having made “thousands of attempts to weaken our systems” since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The hacking campaign included attacks on signalling systems and on the networks of the Czech national railway operator České dráhy, Kupka said. Past attacks have put ticketing systems out of service and raised concerns about successful interference with signals causing serious accidents. “It’s definitely a difficult point . . .[but] I’m really very satisfied because we are able to defend all systems [from] a successful attack,” Kupka said. Russian attempts to destabilise European energy infrastructure have been well documented but interference in transport networks has been less discussed. The EU Agency for Cybersecurity published its first report on threats to transport in March last year. It said there had been “attacks against railway companies with an increasing rate, primarily due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine”. It noted major cyber attacks by “pro-Russia hacker groups” on railway companies in Latvia,...

by Prague Morning Apr 05, 2024

Should Idiots be Allowed to Vote? Czech Party Proposes ‘Knowledge Test’ to Earn Voting Rights

The term “idiot,” originating from ancient Greece, referred to individuals focused solely on private life, showing no interest in politics or public matters, and thus considered ignorant. In modern democratic countries, the presence of “idiots” — those indifferent to public life and politics yet occasionally exercising their civic rights in elections — poses a unique challenge. This phenomenon has sparked debates about the wisdom of letting uninformed individuals influence future decisions through voting. A notable instance of attempting to tackle this issue occurred in Bulgaria in 2016, where electoral law amendments introduced a rule disenfranchising citizens who fail to vote in two consecutive elections of the same type. These individuals are removed from voter rolls but can regain their voting rights by applying for re-enlistment, a measure aimed at encouraging civic engagement and, implicitly, weeding out the uninterested or uninformed. However, this solution doesn’t address the core issue of uninformed voters participating in elections. A proposal by Jan Kubalcík, leader of the Czech Conservative Party, suggests an innovative approach: requiring citizens to pass a basic knowledge test before voting. This test, comprising ten questions randomly selected by a computer from a thousand, aims to exclude those lacking fundamental understanding of...

by Prague Morning Apr 03, 2024

“Security Situation Worst Since WWII,” Said Czech Counterintelligence Agency

President Petr Pavel met with the leadership of the Czech counterintelligence agency, headed by its director Michal Koudelka, on Tuesday. The current security situation is the worst since World War II, the head of the Czech Counter Intelligence Service (BIS) Michal Koudelka said following a meeting with President Pavel on Tuesday. He said Russian expansionism and the possible return of Islamic terrorism to Europe are major threats to European democracies. “We cannot underestimate the risk, although we do not have any concrete information about a direct security threat to the Czech Republic,” Koudelka said. The focus of the meeting was the security landscape and potential threats, particularly from Russia and China, whose actions have long concerned the BIS. Moje návštěva v sídle BIS znamená především obnovení standardních vztahů mezi prezidentem a bezpečnostními službami, jak je to běžné i v jiných demokratických zemích. V následujících měsících postupně navštívím všechny služby. S ředitelem Koudelkou i s vedením BIS jsme jednali o… pic.twitter.com/vvFy4BfgJQ — Petr Pavel (@prezidentpavel) March 26, 2024 Koudelka highlighted the looming threat of a resurgence of Islamic terrorism in Europe. He also mentioned the challenge of illegal migration to Europe, although the BIS lacks specific intelligence on current threats. President...

by Prague Morning Mar 26, 2024

Slovaks Elect Successor to Čaputová. An Ally of Populist Premier is Expected to Win

Slovaks headed to the ballots Saturday to elect a successor to Zuzana Čaputová, the country’s first female president and a staunch backer of Slovakia’s neighbor Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s two-year invasion. She is not seeking a second term. Peter Pellegrini, a close ally of Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, is considered a favorite in the race for the post of president. He leads a field of nine candidates in the first round of the presidential election to become the country´s sixth head of state since Slovakia gained independence in 1993 after Czechoslovakia split in two. Polls will close at 9 pm and results are expected on Sunday. If no candidate gets a majority, which is expected, the top two finishers will go through to a runoff on April 6. Pellegrini, 48, who favors a strong role for the state, heads the left-wing Hlas (Voice) party that finished third in the Sept. 30 parliamentary election. His party joined a ruling coalition with Fico’s leftist Smer (Direction) party and the ultranationalist Slovak National Party. The new government immediately halted arms delivery to Ukraine. Former Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok, 59, a pro-Western career diplomat is his main rival. “From my...

by Prague Morning Mar 23, 2024

Czech Foreign Ministry Condemns Terrorist Attack in Moscow

The Czech Foreign Ministry has condemned the terrorist attack in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, in which 140 people were killed and more than 100 injured. “The Czech Republic condemns the terrorist attack near Moscow. The attack on the civilian population is unacceptable. Our condolences to the families of the victims,” the ministry said on social networks. Words of condemnation have also come from the Czech Interior Ministry. “A terrorist attack on defenseless civilians is unjustifiable under any circumstances. My condolences to the families and loved ones of all the victims of today’s shocking violence in Krasnogorsk,” Interior Minister Vít Rakušan wrote on the X network shortly after the news broke. What happened Gunmen in combat fatigues opened fire and detonated explosives at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall killing at least 140 people and injuring 100 in a brazen attack claimed by the ISIL (ISIS) group. At least five camouflage-clad gunmen with automatic weapons burst into the packed concert hall in the Russian capital’s western suburbs on Friday night as the audience was gathering to watch the veteran rock band Picnic, shooting into the crowd and setting off explosives that started a massive fire. ISIL, the hardline group that once sought control over...

by Prague Morning Mar 23, 2024

Czech Parliament Proclaims Russia as Country’s Main Security Threat

The lower chamber of the Czech Parliament, the House of Deputies, now officially defines Russia as Czechia’s main security threat and declares the need for continued support for Ukraine. “The current terrorist regime in Russia, with its expansiveness and efforts to expand its sphere of influence on Ukraine and other European nations, accompanied by war crimes, poses the greatest security threat to the Czech Republic; therefore, it is in the fundamental interest of the Czech Republic that Putin’s war against Ukraine sees no success, that Ukraine defends and restores its territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders, and that the Russian regime is effectively deterred from further aggression against Europe,” reads the resolution adopted on March 21. The resolution was developed by the ruling coalition and received the support of 84 lawmakers with a minimum threshold of 72 votes. “Stopping the supply of military equipment would lead to the conquest and devastation of Ukraine by the Russian terrorist regime and the encouragement of this regime to further conquests against European states,” the resolution adds. The House of Deputies also agreed that the government must continue to increase Czechia’s defense capability and fulfill its obligations to NATO, meaning contributing 2% of GDP...

by Prague Morning Mar 21, 2024

Czech Government Wants to Allow Other EU Citizens to Become Police Members

Czechia wants to make it possible for other European Union citizens to become members of the police and other security forces. The proposal to make this change has been put forward by the Ministry of Interior of Czechia, with the aim of diversifying the police and security forces members. However, not everyone is eligible to apply. In line with the proposal, only EU/EEA citizens who have been legally residing in Czechia for a minimum period of three years and who are proficient in the Czech language will be eligible to apply to become police and other security officers members. Citizens of other EU and EEA countries will also be able to become members of the security forces if they have lived in the Czech Republic for at least three years and speak the Czech language. However, the Ministry has emphasized that the change in the rules will not extend to intelligence services. This is because the country wants to maintain strict requirements for these roles, Česká Justice explains. In case the proposal is approved, the applicants need to prove that they have no criminal records in their country of origin. The aim of the amendment is to modernize the law,...

by Richard Sovitzky Mar 20, 2024

Russia to Prosecute Czechs Over Konev Statue Removal

Russia is initiating criminal prosecutions against over 50 politicians from the Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia for the removal of Soviet-era monuments. Among those targeted are Prague 6 Mayor Jakub Stárek and predecessor Ondřej Kolář for removing a statue of Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev. Mr. Kolář said he was “in good company and that the news had motivated him to continue his work”. He headed the district when a monument to Soviet commander Ivan Konev was taken down in 2020. Russian law provides for up to five years in prison but Czech officials condemn the prosecutions as “unenforceable”. Konev is regarded as a hero in Russia for retaking much of Eastern Europe from Nazi German forces during World War II. But many Czechs view him an enforcer of Soviet rule after the war. He led the Soviet troops that entered Prague after it had been liberated from the Nazis by resistance forces. But he also commanded the troops that crushed the 1956 anti-Soviet uprising in Hungary and helped build the Berlin Wall. Some historians say Konev also participated in planning the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia. President Vladimir Putin has accused Russia’s detractors of diminishing the Soviet war...

by Prague Morning Mar 14, 2024

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