Czech news in brief for February 3: Tuesday's top afternoon headlines

South Bohemian Governor Martin Kuba has officially introduced his new political movement, Naše Česko (Our Czechia). Departing from the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) after two decades, Kuba aims to transcend traditional liberal-conservative divides to focus on pragmatic solutions. While the movement begins with a strong base in the South Bohemian and Plzeň regions, Kuba intends to build a nationwide presence ahead of upcoming elections.

Health and Sports Minister Boris Šťastný has launched a national campaign encouraging citizens to choose stairs over elevators. The initiative seeks to integrate physical activity into daily routines to improve public health and prevent lifestyle diseases. As part of the campaign, motivational signs will be installed in public and private buildings across the country. The move highlights a shift toward promoting simple, accessible fitness habits.

A new survey reveals that the majority of Czechs visit churches primarily as historical monuments rather than for religious services. While architectural heritage remains a significant draw for locals and tourists alike, active participation in worship continues to decline. The findings underscore the secular nature of Czech society and the challenge for religious institutions to maintain large historical properties as congregation numbers dwindle in many regions.

Prague 7 City Hall has launched an "anti-graffiti" program, offering property owners up to CZK 30,000 annually to remove illegal tags from facades. The district will subsidize costs up to CZK 750 per square meter of treated surface. Applications are open in two cycles through October 2026. Officials aim to improve the visual quality of the public space by making professional cleaning and preventative coatings more accessible to residents.

European bison from Prague and Olomouc zoos have arrived in Azerbaijan to bolster the reintroduced free-ranging population in Shahdag National Park. The journey brought a surprise: while awaiting transport, a calf was born, increasing the original group from four females to five. The reintroduction, organized by Berlin Zoo and WWF Germany, was the largest of its kind, with 18 bison from several European countries, including the Czech Republic, moved to the Greater Caucasus foothills.