Czech news in brief for July 8: Tuesday's top headlines

 The Czech Defense Ministry will finalize a seven-year, CZK 6.16 billion contract this summer with Germany’s Rheinmetall Landsysteme company to service Leopard 2A4 tanks. The tanks, which replace outdated Soviet-era T-72s, are part of Czechia’s modernization effort. The agreement includes logistics, spare parts, repairs, and training. Last year, Czechia bought 14 Leopards for CZK 4 billion after receiving 28 as a German donation for aiding Ukraine, the ministry said in a Tuesday press release.

Czech Justice Minister Eva Decroix said Tuesday she will introduce the selected external auditor for the bitcoin case to the government and public on Wednesday. Speaking after a meeting with President Petr Pavel, she said the audit tender is being finalized and results will be shared at a post-cabinet press conference. Decroix and Pavel did not discuss the case but focused on recent legal reforms, including a bill aimed at protecting children from violent offenders.

Czechia has improved judicial pay and court efficiency but still faces issues in fighting high-level corruption, the European Commission said Tuesday in its 2025 Rule of Law Report. The report praised faster case resolutions but called for reforms to shorten proceedings further and ensure independent corruption probes. It also urged renewed action on media ownership transparency and conflict-of-interest laws. The assessment covered the justice system, anti-corruption efforts, media pluralism, and institutional checks.

Czech unemployment remained at 4.2 percent in June, unchanged from May, according to data released Tuesday by the Labour Office. The number of jobless fell slightly to 315,465, while job vacancies rose by over 2,200 to nearly 98,700. Despite a year-on-year rise of 0.6 percentage points, officials say the labor market remains stable. Prague recorded the lowest unemployment at 3.2 percent, while the Ústí nad Labem region remained highest at 6.5 percent. Vacancies continue to grow across most regions.

Czech President Petr Pavel said Russia’s recent battlefield gains in Ukraine came at a high cost and do not signal true victory. In a BBC interview published Tuesday, Pavel stressed Ukraine’s defense remains effective despite Moscow’s tactical advances. A former NATO military chief, Pavel warned the war could drag on for years without negotiations. He urged continued Western support for Kyiv to counter Russia’s belief that military force, not diplomacy, will yield results.

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is honoring late American actor John Garfield with a 10-film retrospective running through July 12. Titled The Life and Times of John Garfield, the showcase spans his career from 1938's Four Daughters to 1951's He Ran All the Way. Festival-goers can view eight films in 35mm prints, including Pride of the Marines and Force of Evil, celebrating Garfield’s legacy and socially conscious performances. When Garfield died of a heart attack in his New York apartment in 1952, he was just 39. 

After a scorching start to summer, the Czech Republic is bracing for a significant cooldown and heavy rainfall this week. Temperatures will fall to 14°C in the northeast with persistent showers, while the west stays warmer with less rain. Flood alerts are in place in the Beskydy region. Forecasters say temperatures will stay below average for weeks, with increased rainfall expected.

Experts from the European electricity network ENTSO-E will assist ČEPS in investigating Friday’s massive power outage in the Czech Republic. The failure, caused by a fallen phase conductor, left about one million people without power. A full analysis will take weeks. Affected businesses, including restaurants and industrial firms, are demanding compensation, while officials stress the need for infrastructure modernization and better crisis response.

The Central Flood Commission will meet on Tuesday amid forecasts of extreme rain in the Beskydy and Jeseníky mountains. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has issued its highest warning for parts of the Zlín and Moravian-Silesian regions, where up to 200 mm of rain may fall. Rivers may rise to flood levels. Officials will monitor developments and update warnings as the situation unfolds.

A new EU emissions scheme could cost Czech households thousands of crowns annually, experts warn. The ETS 2 system, launching in 2027, will raise prices for fuel and heating. Critics call it a burden on rural and low-income families, while supporters argue it funds climate aid. Prague and 17 EU states seek reforms to soften economic shocks and control market volatility.

French dairy group Savencia will shut its Hodonín plant in the coming months due to falling demand for processed cheese, affecting hundreds of jobs. Production of brands like Apetito and Bambino will move to Germany. The company has pledged severance, retraining, and job support for workers. The closure won’t impact other Savencia facilities in the Czech Republic or Slovakia.