Czech news in brief for December 1: Monday's top morning headlines

Jiří Svoboda, head of the Railway Administration, is set for dismissal after police discovered over CZK 80 million (EUR 3.2 million) in cash at his residence. Transport Minister Martin Kupka has called an emergency Supervisory Board meeting Monday to remove him. Svoboda claims the money is “familial savings,” but investigators continue probing procurement irregularities at the Railway Administration and Road and Motorway Directorate.

An icy layer of snow and widespread fog slowed traffic across multiple regions Monday, with road officials urging increased caution. The Liberec and Olomouc regions reported icy surfaces in higher elevations, while Zlín warned of freezing conditions on the I/69 near Syrákov. Fog reduced visibility in the Pilsen Region, and scattered icing was reported in Pardubice. Temperatures ranged from –4 to 3 °C with drizzle in places.

Prague remains one of Europe’s most congested cities, according to the latest INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard. Drivers in the capital lose dozens of hours annually in gridlock, with long-term data showing congestion has increased sharply over the past decade. Prague ranks among Europe’s top bottlenecks, though still behind severely jammed cities such as London and Dublin. The report comes as commuters face worsening delays on key routes.

Czech households plan to spend an average of CZK 12,600 on Christmas this year, roughly matching 2024 levels, a survey by the Czech Banking Association and Ipsos shows. Most plan to spend up to CZK 10,000 on gifts, while food typically costs up to CZK 3,000. Only 2 percent expect to take out a loan, mostly small sums for gifts. Ninety-five percent say borrowing for Christmas is a bad idea.

Singer Don West, Roxette and Gogol Bordello will headline major Czech music festivals next year, organizers said. Metronome Prague, moving to Letňany Airport in June, will feature West, Of Monsters and Men and Orville Peck. Roxette will perform at the Venátská! festival in Liberec in July. Trutnoff, held in August, will host New York punk band Gogol Bordello, along with Czech acts Jasná Páka and Visací zámek.