Czech news in brief for February 15: Sunday's top afternoon headlines

Czech Sports Minister Boris Šťastný said he can envision hosting the Winter Olympics in Czechia, potentially in partnership with Slovakia and other Central European countries. He suggested existing facilities could limit costs, with 2038 or 2040 as possible dates. The proposal would require public and political debate. Prague previously explored a Summer Olympic bid but withdrew plans in 2009 amid financial concerns and public opposition.

A recent Kantar CZ survey found 62 percent of Czechs support continuing the national munition initiative supplying artillery shells to Ukraine, while 35 percent oppose. The survey of 1,200 people was conducted in January. The program, which helps provide heavy ammunition via international procurement, has delivered over four million rounds since 2024. President Petr Pavel and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj have both praised Czech contributions to the initiative.

Snowfall and icy conditions are complicating transport across northeast Moravia and Silesia today. Police in the Moravian-Silesian Region recorded 16 traffic accidents this morning. A fallen tree and damaged power line temporarily closed part of road I/56 toward Slovakia. Slushy snow and drifting are affecting higher elevations in the Olomouc and Zlín regions. Meteorologists warn of more snowfall and subzero temperatures, especially in the Beskydy Mountains.

The number of building permits issued in Czechia fell for the fourth consecutive year, reaching 61,613 in 2025—the lowest since records began in 1999. Housing construction is particularly affected, with 35,819 flats started nationwide and 7,380 in Prague, below estimated demand. Analysts warn the slowdown may further limit supply and keep property prices high, especially in major cities facing long-term housing shortages.

Zuzana Marešová, the last surviving “Winton child” living in Czechia, has died at age 94. She was among 669 mostly Jewish children rescued from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia in 1939 by British humanitarian Nicholas Winton. Marešová later returned to Czechoslovakia and helped commemorate the children’s story, including initiating a memorial at Prague’s main railway station. Her death marks the end of a living chapter of this wartime rescue.