Czech news in brief for June 15: Sunday's top headlines

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has issued a storm warning for Sunday afternoon and evening, covering the western half of the Czech Republic. Heavy rain, wind gusts and hail could affect events such as Rock for People in Hradec Králové. The warning is in effect from 3 p.m. to midnight. Afternoon highs may exceed 33 degrees Celsius in Bohemia, while Moravia and Silesia will remain cooler and sunnier.

Prime Minister Petr Fiala said his government will defend itself Tuesday in a no-confidence vote triggered by the opposition after the bitcoin donation scandal. Fiala said he would meet coalition partner STAN, some of whose MPs have voiced doubts. Justice Minister Pavel Blažek resigned over the affair, while Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura remains under criticism. It is the fourth no-confidence vote the coalition has faced.

Slovakia is offering Czech nationals in Jordan and Israel seats on an evacuation flight from Amman to Bratislava scheduled for Monday, June 16, the Czech Foreign Ministry said Saturday. Interested Czechs must contact the Czech embassies in Amman or Tel Aviv by 1 p.m. Sunday. Czech authorities also updated travel advice, warning against visiting Israel amid escalating conflict with Iran. Ben Gurion Airport remains closed, with flights to and from Prague canceled.

A crash involving nine cars shut down the D1 highway near Brno at the 186th kilometer on Saturday, police said. The collision halted traffic toward Prague, with emergency services reporting five people injured. No one had to be freed from vehicles. Drivers are advised to detour through Brno and rejoin at exit Kývalka. Authorities aim to reopen at least one lane soon, but delays are expected to last about an hour.

Hundreds gathered in Lidice on Saturday to mark 83 years since the Nazi destruction of the village, joined by President Petr Pavel. The somber remembrance, held without speeches, included a mass and floral tributes for victims, including the murdered children. Lidice Memorial director Eduard Stehlík called such remembrance vital amid today’s global conflicts. Nazi forces destroyed the village in 1942, killing 340 residents in retaliation for the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich.

Northern Irish rap group Kneecap sparked controversy at the Rock for People festival in Hradec Králové with pro-Palestinian slogans and criticism of Israel. Opposition councillor Denis Doksanský plans to raise the issue at the June 17 city council meeting, citing the city’s CZK 4 million support of the event. Festival officials defended artistic freedom, while Jewish groups condemned the performance as extremist and antisemitic.

A Soviet-era Red Army monument was removed from Jiráskovy sady in Litoměřice on Friday and relocated to a former army depot, despite public controversy. Workers dismantled the sculpture into several parts with crane assistance amid minor technical setbacks. Police oversaw the process after verbal clashes between supporters and opponents. City officials say the monument may be relocated or sold. An architectural competition will decide what replaces it in the park.

Interior Minister Vít Rakušan said Friday that European countries can learn from Ukraine’s ability to adapt infrastructure in crises. Speaking at the Globsec Forum in Prague, he stressed the need for local preparedness and coordination between civil and military forces. Rakušan also highlighted Czech readiness during recent crises, including the Ukraine war and the pandemic.

A Czech woman has been held in a Hong Kong jail since April 12 on suspicion of drug-related crimes, the Foreign Ministry confirmed Friday. Officials are in contact with the woman and her family, but declined to provide details about the alleged offense. The case recalls that of Vladimír Švec, who was convicted of drug smuggling in Hong Kong in 2018 and later extradited to Czechia, where he died in prison last year.

Tomáš Jirákovský, who donated bitcoins worth CZK 1 billion to the Justice Ministry, hoped to deduct the amount from taxes, his lawyer told Novinky.cz. The donation, tied to a scandal that led to Justice Minister Pavel Blažek’s resignation, is under scrutiny due to suspected links to criminal activity. The lawyer said the motivation wasn’t discussed at the time. Jirákovský, a convicted felon, is now reportedly abroad and not wanted by police.

A Czech pilot landed a small plane in a field near Leobendorf, Austria, Friday after an instrument failure caused him to lose orientation, APA reported. The pilot, who was unharmed, made the emergency landing due to low fuel. The plane touched down near the B6 road in the Korneuburg district around 11 a.m. Austrian firefighters and emergency services responded to the scene.