Czech news in brief for February 8: Saturday's top headlines

The Plzeň Regional Prosecutor’s Office has filed for the judicial rehabilitation of nine Catholic priests arrested by the Communist regime in 1949. Prosecutor Petr Bryda argues the case violated religious freedom. The priests were detained for possessing anti-state materials and renouncing state salaries. Legal expert Lubomír Muller initiated the effort, citing laws allowing redress. A similar case last year saw priest Josef Toufar rehabilitated posthumously.

A drunken man threatened to start shooting on a Prague tram on Saturday morning, claiming he had a weapon. Passengers alerted police via an emergency SMS. Armed officers detained the man at the Karlovy Lázně stop, and he was found unarmed. The suspect, who had a blood alcohol level of 1.4, is believed to be mentally unwell. Police are investigating the incident, and the man may be taken to a hospital for evaluation.

A downed power line caused a forest fire near Ostojkovice in South Bohemia in the early morning hours on Saturday. Strong winds spread the flames to nearby dry grass and a forest nursery. Firefighters from Dačice and Jemnice, along with three volunteer units, responded to the blaze, which burned three hectares of land. The fire was contained about 45 minutes after being reported, with damages estimated at CZK 20,000.

Czech banks have reduced interest rates on savings accounts, with most offering rates starting at 3 percent. Two banks, Česká spořitelna and Raiffeisenbank, offer 4 percent but with stringent conditions like regular investments or card payments. The rate cuts follow the Czech National Bank’s decision to lower rates to 3.75 percent. Other banks, including Fio and Moneta Money Bank, offer rates between 2.4 percent and 3.75 percent, depending on account conditions and deposit limits.

Czech sickness insurance recorded a surplus of CZK 10.2 billion in 2024, reversing years of deficits, the Czech Social Security Administration reports. Total premiums paid by employees, employers, and self-employed individuals exceeded CZK 57.7 billion, up nearly CZK 15 billion from the previous year. The higher premium intake, following the reinstatement of sickness contributions for employees, offset the increase in benefits paid out, which reached CZK 47.5 billion.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský met with U.S. tech giants, including Oracle and Nvidia, in Washington to push for unrestricted AI chip exports to Czechia. The move follows concerns that U.S. export controls unfairly divide allies. Lipavský said companies backed Czechia’s request, as the EU criticized the policy. The U.S. aims to prevent advanced technology from reaching Russia and China.

Around 500 Slovaks gathered in Brno to protest against the foreign policy of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government, joining demonstrations across Slovakia and abroad. Protesters criticized government rhetoric and its stance on free speech. The protests, sparked by Fico’s meeting with Vladimir Putin, have continued since December. Opposition leaders reject Fico’s claims of a coup plot, calling them a diversion from domestic issues.

The tabloid Blesk retained its position as the most-read Czech daily in 2024, though its readership dropped below 500,000, down 94,000 from last year. All major dailies saw declines, with Mladá fronta Dnes at 358,000 readers and Sport at 140,000. Regional Deník averaged 323,000, while free daily Metro was the only paper to gain readers, increasing by 6,000 to 301,000 copies per day.

The Václav Havel Library has launched The Nineties, an educational series featuring short videos, lectures, and podcasts to aid teachers. The series covers politics, technology, culture, and civic life in post-communist Czechia. A recent survey found young people view the 1990s positively for open borders and media freedom but critically for economic transformation and corruption. The initiative aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on the decade.

Liberec regional governor Martin Půta announced he will not run in the autumn parliamentary elections after being found partially guilty in a corruption case. A court sentenced him to a one-year suspended sentence and a fine for accepting a CZK 30,000 bribe. Půta, who has appealed, said he will remain as governor. The STAN party leadership has not called for his resignation.

Czech tennis player Tomáš Macháč was eliminated in the Dallas Open quarterfinals after a 6-7, 0-6 loss to Canada’s Denis Shapovalov. Macháč led 4-2 in the first set and 3-0 in the tiebreak but ultimately fell 5-7. Shapovalov dominated the second set, closing it out in 25 minutes. The 25-year-old Canadian will face defending champion Tommy Paul in the semifinals.