Czech news in brief for May 10: Saturday's top headlines

Hundreds of students marched through Brno on Saturday with floats and live bands to kick off the 20th Brněnský Majáles festival. The procession, featuring university teams vying for Majáles royalty, ended at the city’s Výstaviště. The daylong event includes 40 music acts such as Kryštof and Tomáš Klus. Organizers billed it as the biggest program yet, with final tickets still available at midday.

The Czech pension system’s deficit shrank to CZK 50.7 billion in 2024, down from CZK 72.8 billion the previous year, the Finance Ministry reports. Revenues rose 7.5 percent year-on-year, while spending increased 3.5 percent, helped by pension reform and tighter early retirement rules. Lawmakers will review the figures as part of the state’s draft final account. The deficit equaled 0.6 percent of GDP, officials noted.

Former Czech PM Vladimír Špidla has warned that allowing Social Democracy members to run on ANO’s ticket would be a strategic mistake threatening the party’s survival. In a letter to members, Špidla urged a full-party vote on the issue. Social Democracy chair Jana Maláčová will announce election plans in June. The party lost parliamentary representation in 2021 after years as ANO’s coalition partner.

Czech diplomacy is in contact with five Czechs and their families in Pakistan amid border clashes with India, the Foreign Ministry said Friday. All are reported safe. The ministry urged citizens to avoid Kashmir and nearby regions. Tensions spiked after a deadly April attack in Indian Kashmir, blamed on Pakistan. The conflict marks the worst escalation between the two nuclear powers in two decades.

The Soviet Kosmos 482 probe, launched in 1972 to explore Venus, reentered Earth’s atmosphere and crashed into the Indian Ocean early Saturday, Russia’s space agency Roskosmos confirmed. The spacecraft fell west of the Andaman Islands around 8:24 a.m. Designed to endure Venus’s atmosphere, the 495-kilogram probe remained in orbit for over 50 years after a launch malfunction stranded it near Earth. Before the crash, Czechia had been one of many territories in its projected path.

The Czech national hockey team opened the 2025 IIHF World Championship with a dramatic 5–4 overtime win over Switzerland in Herning, Denmark. After rallying from an early 0–2 deficit and trailing again in the third, Lukáš Sedlák forced overtime with a late power-play goal. Captain Roman Červenka sealed the victory in the 63rd minute off a pass from David Pastrňák, who tallied two assists. Czechia next faces Norway on Sunday.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala will attend Saturday’s summit of the 'coalition of the willing' on Ukraine via video, government officials said. The hybrid-format meeting, announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, brings together about 30 countries, including the Czech Republic, to discuss support for Ukraine. A proposed 30-day ceasefire and potential sanctions are on the agenda. France and Germany will send senior representatives to Kyiv in person.

The Czech army is still awaiting the delivery of eight helicopters donated by the United States, including six Viper attack helicopters and two Venom multi-role helicopters. Originally announced in 2022 as a replacement for equipment provided to Ukraine, the helicopters' arrival has been delayed. The contract, signed in August 2024, includes necessary modernization and servicing, but delivery timelines remain unclear.

An explosion in an apartment building in Ostrava on May 7 is believed to have been caused by an electric scooter, according to police. The blast and subsequent fire affected a seven-story building in the Dubina district. While the cause remains under investigation, authorities are considering possible factors, including battery failure, technical malfunction, or improper handling. Forty residents were evacuated, and eight were hospitalized.

Dozens gathered in Prague on Friday to support the European Sky Shield for Ukraine plan, which proposes deploying 120 European fighter jets to defend Ukrainian airspace. Organizers from Civic Signpost urged Prime Minister Petr Fiala to endorse the initiative in an open letter signed by 34 figures. The Czech Republic remains one of Ukraine’s strongest backers since Russia’s 2022 invasion, including mediating large-scale ammunition deliveries.

Miloš Zapletal, a prolific youth author, translator, and Scout leader known as Zet, died May 8 at his home in Liberec at age 95, the Junák Czech Scouting organization announced. Zapletal influenced generations through books, games, and outdoor activities, especially during communist-era bans. He also translated Seton and Tagore, founded a Scout press, and received national honors for youth work.