Czech news in brief for March 10: Monday's top headlines

Czech unemployment rose to 4.4 percent in February, up from 4.3 percent in January, with labor offices registering 326,223 job seekers, an eight-year high, the Labor Office said Monday. Analysts cite seasonal factors and weak industry performance but expect improvement in spring. Vacancies rose 5 percent from January to 88,062. Layoffs continue, mainly in industry, though seasonal hiring may ease the trend, officials said.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský urged vigilance for democracy at a ceremony marking the 77th anniversary of Czechoslovak diplomat Jan Masaryk’s death. Masaryk, a former Czechoslovak foreign minister, was long believed to have died by suicide on March 10, 1948. However, police now suspect murder due to newly obtained documents, reigniting debate over his mysterious death amid Communist-era tensions.

Social isolation from school closures during the Covid-19 pandemic has caused a significant decline in the mental health of Czech children, according to a new study. Marking five years since schools first closed, research has noted that children, especially those from troubled families, faced the toughest challenges. Mental health issues worsened, particularly for girls, with 56 percent reporting weekly difficulties in 2022. Continued lack of professional support contribute to ongoing struggles.

The Czech Republic's foreign trade ended January with a CZK 20 billion surplus, up CZK 12.9 billion from last year, driven by stronger exports of motor vehicles, computers, and electronic devices, the Czech Statistical Office reported. Exports rose 12.2 percent to CZK 396.7 billion, while imports increased 8.7 percent. Despite a decline in metal products and basic metals trade, the surplus grew. The trade deficit with non-EU countries shrank by CZK 14.9 billion, while the surplus with EU nations fell slightly.

Prague City Hall raised a Tibetan flag today to honor the 1959 anti-Chinese uprising, which killed at least 80,000 Tibetans. Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda, along with other city officials, participated in the ceremony. Hundreds of municipalities across the Czech Republic joined in the annual event, organized by the Lungta association. The Flag for Tibet campaign, launched in Western Europe in the 1990s, aims to promote human rights for Tibetans and Chinese citizens.

​The Czech Foreign Ministry has called for a peaceful resolution, national unity, and political dialogue in Syria following recent massacres that resulted in over 1,000 deaths, including 745 civilians. The violence erupted after clashes between Syrian security forces and supporters of former President Bashar Assad. The Ministry emphasized that Syria's stability relies on the tolerance and coexistence of all communities.

​Prague's Florenc metro station on Line C was closed Sunday evening due to a water leak caused by construction-related damage to a water supply connection.Initially expected to reopen by the end of service Sunday, the station remains closed "until further notice," according to the Prague Public Transport Company (DPP).Line B services are unaffected.Commuters are advised to use Hlavní nádraží station, accessible via tram lines 5, 9, 15, and 26.​

​A 24-hour strike by German airport workers, initiated on March 10, 2025, has led to significant disruptions across 13 major airports, including Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin. The action has resulted in the cancellation of over 3,400 flights, affecting more than 500,000 passengers. This strike has also impacted flights between Germany and the Czech Republic, leading to the cancellation of several flights from Prague Airport.

Former Czechoslovak dissidents and activists have expressed concern that the U.S. might abandon its commitment to combating totalitarianism. In an open letter to President Trump, they emphasized the necessity of unity and political dialogue to counteract authoritarian regimes' global ambitions. Signatories include Charter 77 members and other prominent figures, highlighting the importance of defending shared democratic values. ​

​On March 9, approximately 100 people gathered at Prague's former Bubny railway station to commemorate the 1944 liquidation of the Terezín family camp, where nearly 4,000 Jewish men, women, and children from Czechoslovakia were murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau on the night of March 8–9, 1944. Organized by the Memorial of Silence Association and Shoah Memorial Prague NGO, the ceremony took place near Aleš Veselý's Gate of No Return monument. ​