Czech news in brief for July 29: Wednesday's top afternoon headlines

Good afternoon, the bill to increase parental benefits and provide greater incentives for would-be parents continues to sail through the legislative process with widespread support. Meanwhile, we look at what words best to avoid when going through Prague Airport, and new data that confirms what any observant shopper might have already known from daily trips to Lidl or Albert.

The Senate today approved by 64 votes in favor out of 76 the planned increase of parental allowances from CZK 350,000 to CZK 400,000 starting next year - and double that amount for parents of twins or more born from January 1, 2027. The increase does not apply to any child born up till now or before that date, and the draft bill is now expected to be signed by President Petr Pavel to take effect.

Unclear demographic impact. Parental benefits were last increased from CZK 300,000 to CZK 350,000 two and a half years ago, a measure that seemed to have had little to no impact on curbing Czechia's fast-declining birth rate.

Security personnel at Prague Airport briefly detained and did not let a man travel to Istanbul after he said he was a terrorist in an apparent attempt at a joke or sarcasm. Airport staff immediately alerted foreign police and the pyrotechnics unit after the man's comment in line with safety protocols. The man and his two minor children were eventually released and allowed to go home after nothing suspicious was found, although their planned vacation to Turkey came to an abrupt end even before it started.

Trigger words. Czech police have warned that security protocols are immediately triggered at the airport by words like "bomb", "weapon", "terrorist", "explosives". Airport staff are typically not given the authority to decide whether they're expressed as a joke or as a serious threat.

Almost 60 percent of purchases in Czech supermarkets and drugstores is spent on products on a discount, according to new research by the NIQ business consultancy. This is about two percentage points higher than last year, and the highest level in Europe ahead of Danes, Slovaks and Hungarians, according to the study.

The art of the deal. The most frequently sold discounted items are butter, coffee, beer, sugar and eggs, according to the report, which also found that close to 40 percent of Czechs change stores on a regular basis to hunt for the best discounts and promotions.

State-run castles and chateaux across Czechia will open to the public for free for two days this year, on August 30 and September 27, the Culture Ministry announced today. "We want our cultural heritage to be as accessible as possible to everyone," Minister Oto Klempíř said, citing the "success" of the pilot free admission project to some museums and galleries back in the spring.

Book in advance. A spokesperson for the National Institute of Monuments and Sites warned that although admission to selected castles' tours is free, visitors must make sure to reserve their ticket online in advance due to limited capacity.

Spain's Santi Denia could soon take over from Miroslav Koubek and become head coach of the Czech national football team, according to the Spanish daily AS. If confirmed, Denia would be the first foreign coach in history to lead Czechia's national squad.

Santi who? Commonly known as Santi, 52-year-old Santiago Denia is a former professional football player with close to 300 appearances in La Liga matches for Albacete and Atlético Madrid. Since retiring, he has been head coach for multiple Spanish youth teams, winning the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.