Czech news in brief for June 8: Sunday's top headlines

Opposition party ANO is expected to request a parliamentary session to vote no confidence in the government late next week, ANO MP leader Alena Schillerová said on Sunday. The move follows the resignation of Justice Minister Pavel Blažek over a controversial bitcoin donation. Despite support from SPD, the opposition lacks the 101 votes needed to topple the cabinet. Coalition party STAN says it won’t support the motion.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has issued a storm warning for most of the country today, excluding western Bohemia and eastern Moravia. A cold front will bring strong thunderstorms from the west, with wind gusts up to 70 km/h, lightning, and possible small hail. Conditions should calm in the evening as the front moves east. Forecasters expect sunnier, warmer weather next week.

Firefighters responded to a blaze early Sunday in the historic Prague Conservatory on Valdštejnská Street. The fire was contained to one ground-floor room. No one was inside the building, but a turtle was rescued. One person was checked by paramedics as a precaution. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are under investigation.

A 50-year-old woman died after falling from an electric scooter in Kroměříž on Friday evening. The crash occurred in a curve at the intersection of Štěchovice and Koperníkova streets. An accompanying 28-year-old man suffered minor injuries. The woman was taken to hospital but later succumbed to her injuries. Police are investigating the cause of the crash.

Award-winning Czech cinematographer Vladimír Smutný died at age 82. Known for Kolya and The Painted Bird, he worked with directors Jan Svěrák, Václav Marhoul and Karel Kachyňa. He won eight Czech Lions and was honored with a lifetime achievement award and a Medal of Merit in 2023. According to Jan Svěrák, Smutný died peacefully at home. His funeral will be private.

Justice Minister Pavel Blažek has suspended his Civic Democratic Party (ODS) membership and resigned as head of the ODS South Moravian branch over the bitcoin donation scandal. Blažek, who led the regional branch since 2014, earlier stepped down as minister and withdrew from autumn elections. Jana Bačíková, MP and Vacenovice mayor, is proposed as his replacement on the Together coalition's candidate list. Police are investigating the bitcoin case.

The opposition ANO party would win May’s election with 34.5 percent support, down 0.5 points from April, while the governing Together coalition rose to 21 percent, according to a Kantar CZ poll conducted before the bitcoin scandal. STAN followed with 12 percent, and SPD with 10.5 percent. Pirates and Motorists would also enter parliament. The poll, based on 1,018 respondents, predates Minister Blažek’s resignation over the bitcoin case.

A man was stabbed to death Saturday morning in the Olomouc region, police said. A suspect has been arrested and the case is under investigation. This marks the third murder in the region this year. Police previously solved two other cases, both involving homeless men—one in Olomouc in May and another in Přerov in March. Last year, police in the region investigated six murders or attempted murders.

The Czech government will discuss changes to foreign work visa quotas, increasing spots for highly skilled workers—such as IT experts from India and specialists from China and Asia—while cutting quotas for low-skilled workers from Africa. The Interior Ministry’s proposal aims to prioritize qualified applicants under government migration programs. Visa processing for digital nomads would be capped at 45 days. The new quotas could take effect in July.

Czech volleyball players claimed a second five-set win at the Nations League, defeating South Korea 3–2 just 17 hours after upsetting the USA. Despite fatigue, the team rallied from a set down, dominating the fourth and winning the tie-break 15–9. Middle blocker Magdaléna Jehlářová sealed the match with her 15th point. The Czechs now sit ninth in the 18-team table and face Germany next.

Animal rights activists protested in central Prague Saturday, simulating women connected to milking machines to highlight dairy farm practices. The group We Don't Eat Animals says cows endure repeated artificial insemination and painful milking. They handed out plant-based milk samples and leaflets. Dairy industry leaders dismissed the campaign as manipulative.

A 44-year-old Czech man was lightly injured Saturday after his car was struck by a train at a level crossing in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. Police said he drove onto the tracks despite warning lights and became trapped between the barriers. The train driver was unable to stop in time. A breath test revealed 2.3 per mille alcohol in the man’s blood. His license was revoked on the spot.