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Summary for: Czech news in brief for January 19: Monday's top afternoon headlines
One dead, six injured in town-hall shooting
This afternoon’s top story
One dead, six injured in town-hall shooting
A shooting at Chribská town hall this morning left one employee dead and six others injured, including three police officers, authorities said. The shooter, who had illegal firearms, died by his own hand. Police said the motive was likely personal. President Petr Pavel and Prime Minister Andrej Babiš expressed condolences. The injured were taken to hospitals in Ústí nad Labem and Děčín, and psychological support is being provided.
Greenland dispute
Czech PM avoids backing Greenland
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said the government does not explicitly support Greenland amid ongoing US-EU tensions. Babiš stressed the importance of NATO unity and negotiation, following threats by US President Donald Trump to raise import tariffs on eight European countries. The European Council will meet Thursday, with Babiš representing the Czech Republic, to discuss the situation and seek agreement on transatlantic trade and diplomatic relations.
Military aircraft sale
Czechia will not sell L-159 jets to Ukraine
The Czech governing coalition of ANO, SPD, and Motorists has decided not to sell L-159 aircraft to Ukraine, citing operational needs and replacement costs, SPD leader Tomio Okamura said. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš confirmed that the army requires the jets, whose service life extends beyond 2040. President Petr Pavel’s discussions with Ukraine included smaller aircraft and support equipment, but the government has not approved a sale of the L-159 jets.
Czech Lion nominations
Kafka biopic leads Czech Lion nominations
Agnieszka Hollandová’s film Franz, about writer Franz Kafka, received the most nominations for the 2025 Czech Lion awards, with 15 in total. Ondřej Provazník’s Sbormistr earned 13 nominations, and Zuzana Kirchnerová’s Karavan received 11. The Czech Film and Television Academy announced the nominations today. The awards ceremony will take place on March 14 at the Prague Congress Center. Both films and TV series are competing across 24 categories, including best actor, actress, and director.
Manure leak
Liquid manure leaks into Czech river
Up to 3,000 cubic meters of liquid manure leaked from a ruptured tank near Podmyce, with some entering the Dyje River, authorities said. Firefighters are on site and have deployed a mobile chemical laboratory. The leak also affected nearby vehicles and property. Water from the Vranov reservoir may be released to dilute the contamination. Officials are taking samples and coordinating cleanup efforts.
Cinema attendance
Czech cinema viewers drop to 12.6M
Czech cinemas welcomed 12.6 million visitors in 2025, a 3.3 percent decrease from the previous year and the lowest attendance since 2021 during pandemic closures, the Union of Film Distributors reported. Total box office revenues rose slightly to CZK 2.27 billion, with average ticket prices climbing to about CZK 180. The most-watched film was the American “Minecraft” with over 859,000 viewers, while Czech comedies “Vyšehrad Two” and “On a Sheet of Paper” were the top domestic titles.
💙📅 DAILY POLL: It’s Blue Monday, and many people in Czechia are thinking about how to take care of their mental health. According to our daily poll, more than half said they manage stress through exercise, while 6 percent turn to therapy and 3 percent rely on medication. Seven percent use a combination of all methods, but more than a third—34 percent—admit they don’t take any steps to support their mental well-being.
