Czech news in brief for August 4: Tuesday's top afternoon headlines

Good afternoon, our top story is about a (for now still pretty theoretical) debate about the future governance of Prague, and whether or not the mayor should be directly elected by citizens. We also look at a smog alert declared in Prague and its surroundings, and new rules to apply for Ukrainian refugees seeking temporary protection.

In an interview with Seznam Zpravy, Prague mayor hopeful Adam Scheinherr (Praha sobě) has advocated for the Mayor of Prague to be directly elected by citizens, pointing to the example of other surrounding capitals like Bratislava, Budapest, Vienna or Berlin. Currently, local residents vote for municipal councilors and representatives, who then elect the mayor of Prague based on post-ballot negotiations and cross-party coalitions.

Mixed reactions. The idea has been supported by some politicians, including among the Pirate Party, but has been criticized by others. "I don't see any benefit in it," for instance reacted STAN chairman Vít Rakušan. Some have also called for a wider reform of how Prague works, including about the need to reduce the staggering number (57) of local city districts.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has declared a smog alert for Prague and the entire Central Bohemian region due to the high levels of ground-level ozone. The warning took effect from Tuesday afternoon and will remain in place until further notice, meteorologists said.

What this means. A smog alert was also in effect last week as most of the Czech Republic grappled with extreme-high temperatures. Those warnings are largely targeted at people suffering from chronic respiratory problems, as well as more vulnerable groups like children and the elderly - all advised to refrain from too intense and exhausting physical activity during that time.

According to Czech Interior Minister Lubomir Metnar, the EU Council's recent decision to restrict temporary protection status to refugees from Ukraine subject to military service "will reduce the number of new arrivals by tens of percent." The new rules will take effect tomorrow and only applies to new applicants, not to those who are just trying to renew their temporary protection status.

More proof needed. Among other scenarios, new applicants will for example have to prove that they have left Ukraine legally by presenting their passport with an exit stamp from Ukrainian authorities, or provide the relevant documents showing that they're exempt from military service.

A new survey by the STEM agency found that 72 percent of Czechs consider their work stressful, 76 percent declare being exhausted because of their job, and nearly half of respondents say professional demands interfere with their private life.

Work-life balance. Problems related to work-life balance are felt differently across generations and depending on one's personal situation. In that regard, concerns about work interfering with their private life are felt most strongly by younger employees in the 18-29 age group, as well as by people with children to care for.

Czech goalkeeper Lukáš Horníček will join Newcastle from the Portuguese club of Braga on a five-year deal after the transfer worth EUR 30 million was officially confirmed by the Premier League squad. A native of the Pardubice region, 24-year-old Horníček already flew to the Magpies' summer camp in Spain to start training with his new teammates.

No pocket change. Coming with a transfer fee of EUR 30 million, Horníček's is the third most expensive for a Czech football player, tied with defender Ladislav Krejčí. The top of the ranking continues to be dominated by Pavel Nedvěd's 2001 move from Lazio Roma to Juventus (EUR 45 million) and Patrik Shick's 42-million-euro transfer to AS Roma in 2017.