Czech news in brief for July 1: Wednesday's top morning headlines

Good morning. It's the first day of July and as such a number of important changes kick in, many that are meant to make your life easier. Among those changes, GPs can now perscribe certain medication once limited to specialists, pet owners must now register dogs (a safety measure should yours ever run off), and mammograms no longer need a referral. We've rounded it all up in this monthly column.

Meanwhile have you ever wondered why even the trams and buses with air-conditioning signs still feel like a sauna? Find the answer and more top headlines in today's edition of The Morning Mix.

The Council of Europe's anti-corruption group, GRECO, says Czechia has fully implemented only one of 20 recommendations issued to strengthen integrity among top government officials and law enforcement, with six partially done and 13 untouched, according to its 2025 annual report; the only completed measure was publishing police complaint statistics online, while lobbying transparency, conflicts of interest and post-employment rules for top officials still lag, and GRECO says political will following October's elections will be decisive.

Why it matters: The report lands as GRECO says the political will from October's elections will determine whether Czechia closes these gaps. Prague must report to GRECO on further progress by the end of this year.

The Chamber of Deputies votes today on an SPD-backed proposal removing the president's authority to appoint and dismiss heads of Czechia's permanent missions to international organizations, shifting that power to the Foreign Ministry. The same session includes a proposal for pensions and education support for retired elite athletes, funded through the National Sports Agency, and a coalition-backed rule change limiting parliamentary obstruction tactics.

What comes next: Opposition Pirates are collecting signatures to challenge the broader civil servants law at the Constitutional Court, arguing it makes officials too easy to remove.

Recent PAQ Research figures show 18 percent of Czech adults display symptoms of at least moderate depression or anxiety, while a separate Hedepy-Ipsos survey found 40 percent of Czechs try to manage mental health struggles alone rather than consult a specialist. Wait times for insurance-covered psychotherapy can stretch beyond a year in some regions. A Trade Licensing Act amendment taking effect this month will require therapists working outside healthcare to meet formal qualification standards.

By the numbers: An estimated 4,000 psychotherapists work in Czechia, with 41 percent concentrated in Prague and the Karlovy Vary Region least served.

Our Czech Republic, the movement founded by South Bohemian Governor Martin Kuba after his split from ODS, has launched a British Conservative-style program to identify and train political candidates under 35 ahead of the 2028 regional elections. Applicants will submit CVs and complete a workshop covering media training and crisis communication before an expert panel selects finalists for a three-semester development track.

Context: The movement, registered only since February, polls at 4.5 percent nationally in Median's latest model.

The first week of July returns to seasonal norms, but Czech Hydrometeorological Institute models point to a possible return of above-average temperatures by the second week, with long-range forecasts split on whether the back half of the month turns hot and dry again. Soil moisture deficits from June's record-warm final week are already fueling drought concerns.

In the forecast: Long-term models and CHMI's own outlook diverge sharply for weeks three and four, so the drought trajectory for the rest of July remains uncertain.

Brno tram convoy sets record. Forty new Škoda 45T trams paraded through the city to mark the completion of a four-year, CZK 2.6 billion fleet renewal, earning a spot in the Czech Book of Records. Lined up bumper to bumper, the convoy would have stretched 1,240 meters and could theoretically carry more passengers than the entire population of Tišnov.

Don't call it a veggie schnitzel. New EU rules championed by former Czech Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný reserve meat-specific names like chicken, pork and ribeye for real meat, giving producers three years to rename products such as Rohlík.cz's plant-based bacon. Generic terms like "vegan schnitzel" or "veggie burger" remain for now.

It may say "air-conditioned" but it's still an oven A new report found that while many public transport vehicles carry A/C signage the actual cooling output vary. Carriers must switch on air conditioning once it's above 22°C outside, but they're only required to cool the interior six to eight degrees below that, so a 39-degree day can still mean a stuffy ride. Open doors, packed cars and windows cracked at stops all cut into the AC's effectiveness, which is why some newer buses skip opening windows entirely.