Czech news in brief for April 20: Sunday's top headlines

Police are investigating Czech MEP Filip Turek after he posted a photo on Instagram showing his car's speedometer reading over 200 km/h. Though he claimed the photo was taken in Germany, online users identified the location as the D5 motorway in the Pilsen Region. Police say they began the investigation on Saturday. Turek, a known car enthusiast, has not confirmed whether the image was taken in Czechia. Other politicians have criticized his actions online.

Strong thunderstorms are expected to hit Vysočina and southwestern Moravia on Easter Monday afternoon and evening, with the possibility of a supercell forming, according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. Supercells can bring heavy rain, strong winds, and hail, and are capable of producing tornadoes. The storms will be localized and their strength dependent on atmospheric conditions.

A 39-year-old man died after being hit by a train in Olomouc on Saturday evening. He ignored lowered barriers, crossing into the train's path while wearing headphones, and did not react to the train's horn. Despite attempts at resuscitation, he did not survive. In another nearby incident in Olomouc, a drunk man narrowly escaped injury when a train struck his backpack, but he escaped unharmed.

Prague 8 is progressing with plans to build a skatepark in Bohnice, designed for skateboarders and freestyle scooter riders. The idea first emerged in 2017, sparked by an 11-year-old local. After gaining necessary permits, the city is moving forward with detailed studies and consultations. The park will feature a 1,000 square meter skateable area, a mini ramp, and a pool section, surrounded by mature trees for shade. The park’s construction is expected to begin later this year.

Four Czech tourists—one man and three women aged 42 to 51—were rescued by helicopter from the Grossvenediger area in the Austrian Alps after being caught in bad weather. A rescue operation began Friday night but was halted due to poor conditions. On Saturday, rescuers reached the hikers, who lacked avalanche gear. They were later flown to safety once the weather improved.

The opposition SPD party has overtaken Mayors and Independents for the first time, winning 11.1 percent support in STEM’s April election poll. ANO leads with 33 percent, followed by the governing Together coalition at 19.8 percent. The Pirates, Enough!, and Motorists would also enter the Chamber of Deputies. The poll, conducted March 24–April 15 for CNN Prima News, surveyed 2,103 respondents across Czechia. The next Czech parliamentary election will take place this fall.

The Czech women’s hockey team narrowly lost 2–1 to the U.S. in Saturday’s World Championship semifinal in České Budějovice. Despite the defeat, captain Aneta Tejralová praised her team’s performance and said they’re closing the gap with North American teams. “We believed we could win until the end,” she said. Czechia will now face Finland on Sunday for bronze.

Czech MPs are expected to approve looser budget rules for defense spending and fast-track a bill known as lex plyn to accelerate gas power plant construction. Also on the agenda this week are reforms to criminal law, a new cybersecurity bill, and a digitalization review of the country’s building permit system. The government also aims to boost defense spending to 3 percent of GDP over the next eight years.

A drunken argument between two men in Olomouc ended in gunfire Saturday evening when a 40-year-old man shot a 61-year-old with a gas pistol. The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Náves Svobody street. Police quickly arrived and detained the suspect. The victim suffered only minor injuries and was transported to Olomouc University Hospital. Both men were intoxicated, and no one else was threatened, police said.

Building ponds to fight drought can harm landscapes and biodiversity, according to Czech researchers from Masaryk University. In southern Moravia, poorly planned pond projects often degrade habitats, worsen water quality, and may even drain nearby land. The team called for reforms to subsidy programs, favoring less invasive wetland restoration methods like spillways and natural water flow.

Five people, including a child, were injured in Ostrava on Saturday when pyrotechnics exploded among football fans ahead of a match between Baník Ostrava and Bohemians 1905. One 20-year-old man sustained life-threatening head injuries and was placed in an induced coma. The incident occurred outside the stadium. Police found additional unexploded fireworks at the scene and are investigating the circumstances with local criminal investigators.