Czech news in brief for February 19: Thursday's top morning headlines

President Petr Pavel is scheduled to meet with Igor Červený, the new nominee for Minister of the Environment from the Motoristé party. The appointment follows the President's refusal to name the previous candidate, Filip Turek, due to controversial past statements. Červený, an IT specialist and MP, is expected to be officially sworn in on Monday, Feb. 23. This move will conclude Foreign Minister Petr Macinka’s temporary management of the environment portfolio.

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly commended Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka for his performance at the Munich Security Conference. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated Macinka did a "great job" during a heated debate with former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The confrontation centered on Trump's foreign policy positions. Macinka, representing the Motoristé sobě party, has recently faced domestic scrutiny over the exchange.

The Czech Republic will experience a significant warming trend over the coming days, with temperatures expected to rise as high as 12°C by Sunday. According to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, the unseasonably mild weather will be accompanied by occasional rain and cloud cover across much of the country. Residents and travelers should prepare for thawing conditions in lower elevations, though mountain regions may retain some snow cover despite the warming.

The Finance Ministry has announced that the "EET 2.0" electronic sales records system will launch in January 2027. Accompanying the rollout, the government plans to reinstate the "skolkovné" preschool tax credit and tax discounts for working students. The new EET system will include exemptions for small entrepreneurs with annual incomes under CZK 1 million. These measures aim to balance improved tax collection with social support for families and students.

The Czech men’s ice hockey team suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat against Canada in their final group stage match at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Despite leading in the third period, the Czechs conceded a late equalizer before Canada secured the win in overtime. The result places the Czech Republic second in Group A, confirming their advancement to the quarter-finals. The team awaits its next opponent based on the remaining preliminary rankings.