Czech news in brief for December 20: Saturday's top afternoon headlines

The opposition STAN movement criticized a sweeping reorganization at the Czech Foreign Ministry, warning it is being rushed without proper analysis and could undermine security and government commitments. Foreign Minister Petr Macinka denied cutting posts abroad, stating that changes were discussed with senior diplomats. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said he will address the dispute before Christmas amid broader government plans to cut ministry spending.

A 310-square-meter apartment in Malá Strana, once home to painter Mikoláš Aleš, has a new tenant after an electronic city auction. The winning bid was CZK 63,878 per month, just 300 crowns above the starting price. Prague offered 20 apartments in this round, approving leases for 15 of them. Smaller units attracted stronger competition, with rents often doubling in price. City officials say auctions provide transparent access to desirable housing while funding affordable housing projects.

More Czechs plan winter holidays by the sea than on ski slopes, a survey by NMS Research shows. Fourteen percent intend to take seaside trips, while nine percent plan to ski abroad. A third will not travel. Travel agencies report rising demand for warm destinations, helped by long Christmas holidays and more direct flights. Interest in domestic mountain resorts is falling as higher prices make seaside stays cheaper. December travel is especially popular now. Czechs most often travel to the Maldives, the Dominican Republic, Zanzibar, Egypt, Kenya, Spain, Portugal, or London.

Snow may fall across parts of the Czech Republic on Christmas Eve, including lower elevations, as cold Arctic air moves in from the east, meteorologists said. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute expects snowfall mainly in southern and southwestern Bohemia, with snow levels dropping to 400–500 meters. Temperatures should hover around freezing at low altitudes and remain below zero in higher areas, ending recent inversion conditions.

Cities across the Czech Republic are canceling New Year’s Eve fireworks after a law tightening pyrotechnics rules took effect Dec. 1. Fireworks are banned within 250 meters of hospitals, care homes, shelters, and registered animal sites, including beehives, with fines up to CZK 500,000. Most regional capitals have dropped displays in favor of light shows, while only a few cities plan to use fireworks. Some towns cite confusion over the map, which shows areas that are banned.