Czech news in brief for May 19: Monday's top headlines

The European Commission downgraded its 2025 economic growth forecast for Czechia to 1.9%, down from 2.4% predicted last fall. Growth will be driven by domestic demand and real wage recovery, despite weak exports. Inflation is expected to slow to 2.2% this year. Unemployment should remain stable at 2.6%, among the EU’s lowest. The IMF and Czech Finance Ministry have issued similarly reduced forecasts amid global trade tensions.

The Prague City Council approved plans to set up a large screen on Old Town Square to broadcast the Ice Hockey World Championship if the Czech team reaches the semi-finals or finals. The games, held in Sweden and Denmark, could draw crowds on May 24–25. Broadcast rights from Czech Television are pending, and the event will be organized by the city company Taiko.

Centrist Nicusor Dan’s win in Romania’s presidential election is a positive signal for Czechia and the EU, analysts say. Despite his revisionist stance, Dan supports reform within liberal democratic structures, unlike his far-right rival George Simion. Experts note Dan’s victory reflects strong support from youth and urban voters favoring EU and NATO ties, though rising anti-EU sentiment in Europe remains a concern.

Czech attitudes toward most foreign countries remain stable, but views of the U.S. and Slovakia declined significantly, a STEM agency survey found. Switzerland overtook Slovakia as the top-rated country, followed by Austria. The U.S. drop was linked to Donald Trump’s return and policy changes. Pope Francis was the most favorably viewed foreign figure, while Russian President Vladimir Putin remained the least popular.

The Czech national ice hockey team will face Germany in their penultimate Group B game at the 2025 IIHF World Championship. The outcome could prove critical for both teams’ chances of advancing to the quarterfinals. Czechia has shown solid form in recent matches but faces stiff competition in the group. The game is set to take place in Herning, a key host city of the tournament.

Scientists from Charles University and the Czech Academy of Sciences announced that Mount Říp, a symbol of Czech heritage, is the solidified remnant of a lava lake formed by a volcanic eruption over 26 million years ago. The research found dark volcanic rock with fan-like fissures inside the hill, a trait of lava lakes. Říp is also tied to the Slavic legend of the forefather Czech’s arrival in the region.

After the 2026 amalgam filling ban, Czech patients will only get long-term temporary fillings free of charge, costing insurers about CZK 900, dentists said. The Dental Chamber seeks insurance coverage for permanent fillings costing CZK 2,200. Health Ministry officials say negotiations are ongoing. The new law allows coverage of larger cavities with dual and chemically hardening materials that last up to six years.

A 48-year-old Czech man died after falling into a ravine on Mount Resegone in northern Italy on Saturday, ANSA reported. The man was hiking with his 20-year-old son and a friend, who were not injured. Rescuers pronounced him dead at the scene. Earlier the same day, a 43-year-old Italian man also died in a similar accident on the mountain, local media reported.

Over 24,500 people joined the 58th annual Prague–Prčice long-distance march on Saturday, 2,400 more than last year. The 30-kilometer route from Tábor was the most popular, attracting more than 5,000 participants. The longest 70-kilometer route from Prague saw 1,350 hikers. Each finisher received a green plastic shoe. Czechia’s largest march began in 1966 and was paused only during the Covid pandemic.

Bestselling author Dan Brown posted a photo of himself walking across Prague’s Charles Bridge over the weekend. The American author’s upcoming novel will be set in the Czech capital. Brown will incorporate the city’s historical and cultural elements into the latest adventure of his well-known protagonist, Robert Langdon. The author of The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons often bases his thrillers in historically and architecturally rich European cities.