Czech news in brief for May 17: Saturday's top headlines

There are no Czech citizens in Syrian camps holding relatives of former Islamic State fighters, the Czech Foreign Ministry confirmed on Friday. A 2023 UN report had suggested the possibility of Czechs among detainees, but the ministry now says it has no such information. Over 46,000 people—mostly women and children—are held in dire conditions in the Al-Hol and Roj camps, according to Amnesty International. Many are victims of IS, not perpetrators.

Czech authorities removed 3,341 children from their families last year, down from 3,841 in 2016, according to new data from the Labour Ministry. Neglect was the most common reason, cited in 1,964 cases. Abuse or exploitation was found in 245 cases. Children were also removed due to parental illness, imprisonment or disappearance. A 2024 analysis found that intensive family support services can prevent removals in most cases.

An American man suspected of Ebola was in contact with 26 people during his stay in the Czech Republic, health officials said Saturday. The man, who had recently visited the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, arrived in the country on May 6 and was hospitalized in Tábor on Friday before being transferred to Prague's Bulovka Hospital. He is in stable condition in a biocontainment unit. Test results are expected around noon.

Czechia recorded 1,073,303 foreign residents as of the end of March, down nearly 21,000 year-on-year, according to the Interior Ministry. Over half are Ukrainian nationals, followed by Slovaks, Vietnamese, and Russians. Around 360,000 people are registered under temporary protection, mainly war refugees from Ukraine. Most foreigners live in Prague.

Interior Minister Vít Rakušan has been re-elected as chairman of the Mayors and Independents (STAN) party, receiving 282 out of 286 votes at the party congress on Saturday. He ran unopposed. In his speech, Rakušan pledged to strengthen STAN’s role in government and break the country’s political bipolarity. He called STAN “the most underestimated political force” and said his goal is to make it the strongest democratic group in parliament.

Following stalled Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul, Czech PM Petr Fiala called for tougher EU sanctions on Moscow. Speaking at Thursday’s EPC summit in Albania, Fiala said Russia's current stance requires greater pressure. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen announced plans for a new sanctions package targeting Nord Stream pipelines, Russia’s shadow fleet, oil price caps, and the financial sector.

The High Court in Prague will distribute tickets for the May–June hearings in the Čapí hnízdo case involving ex-PM Andrej Babiš and MEP Jana Nagyová. Both were acquitted twice, but prosecutors appealed. The trial will be held in the court’s largest room with 100 seats and an additional 40-seat balcony if needed. Tickets will be issued daily, with 25 seats reserved for media.

Czechia’s national hockey team will face Kazakhstan today at the World Championship in Herning, Denmark. A single point would secure a quarterfinal berth, maintaining the Czechs' unbeaten streak in both the tournament and head-to-head history. Captain Roman Červenka marks his 100th World Championship game. Goalie Karel Vejmelka will start at 4:20 p.m.; injured players Kundrátek and Lauko remain sidelined.

Prague residents can tour the construction of the Metro D line today, Sunday, and Monday through guided surface and underground routes. The free event, organized by Prague’s transport authority DPP, requires online reservations. The underground tour spans 1.6 km between the Olbrachtova and Pankrác stations, while the surface route is barrier-free and suitable for families. Construction began in 2022, with delays pushing completion beyond the original 2029 target.

Czech PM Petr Fiala met French President Emmanuel Macron and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen at the EPC summit Thursday to address the stalled Dukovany nuclear project. Fiala reiterated Czechia’s position after French firm EDF, which lost the tender, filed a legal challenge against the Korean winner KHNP, halting contract signing. He also responded to a delay request from French EU Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné.

Pavel Novotný, the mayor of Prague’s Řeporyje district, has suspended his membership in the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) amid a pending prison sentence, he announced Thursday on X. ODS confirmed it received his request and respects the decision. Novotný faces jail after violating probation tied to prior convictions, including disorderly conduct and criminal incitement. PM Fiala said Novotný’s behavior is now seen as damaging to the party.