Czech news in brief for May 26: Tuesday's top morning headlines

Good morning. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has issued a warning for today, with temperatures expected to peak at 32°C between 1 and 6 p.m. See below for misting stations in Prague as part of your Tuesday toolkit

We'll also update you on the incoming vote on the contribution rate for self-employed workers, a topic our readers have been following closely. In the meantime, see this story about Czechs and their feelings toward the #beyourown boss craze.

The government has approved amendments to seven laws tightening conditions for temporary protection holders, mostly Ukrainians, and sent the package to the Chamber of Deputies. To keep humanitarian benefits, holders will need to be employed or registered with the labour office, and present in the country at least 16 days a month. Protection will be revoked for those who spend more than 30 days outside Schengen or face criminal deportation. The Interior Ministry will also stop issuing travel documents to protection holders. Over 386,000 people are currently registered under the scheme.

Interior Minister Lubomír Metnar says the changes reflect lessons learned and the current security environment. The Organisation for Aid to Refugees called the amendment unnecessary, citing Ukrainians' contributions to the labour market and comparable crime statistics.

Important to know: The amendment also tightens conditions for the special long-term residence permit, the main pathway to a more stable status, adding a requirement that applicants have no tax arrears. Some 56,500 people have expressed interest in the permit this year.

The European Commission has rejected Czech authorities' response to Prime Minister Babiš's conflict of interest and will not reimburse subsidies to Agrofert-linked companies until the matter is resolved. Prague has one month to answer follow-up questions. The Commission says the freeze applies regardless of trust arrangements, meaning Czech institutions that continue paying Agrofert risk footing the bill themselves if Brussels doesn't sign off.

What does this mean in practice? Czech institutions can continue sending money to Agrofert, but risk having to cover those costs entirely from the Czech state budget if the EU refuses to reimburse them. 

The Chamber of Deputies is expected to vote today to override the Senate and reinstate last year's lower social insurance contribution rate for self-employed workers. The Senate rejected the coalition amendment, citing concerns about the pension system; the proposed reduction of roughly CZK 715 per month now would translate to about CZK 1,500 less per month in state pension payments down the line. The Chamber needs only a coalition majority to push it through.

What this means for you: If it passes, the monthly assessment base returns to 35 percent of the average gross wage, down from this year's 40 percent.

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Irish-born Archbishop Eugene Martin Nugent as the new apostolic nuncio to the Czech Republic, replacing Jude Thaddeus Okolo, who was reassigned to Haiti. Nugent, 67, brings decades of Vatican diplomatic experience across four continents.

Important to know: He'll also face unfinished business on the Czech-Vatican treaty, which the Constitutional Court ruled partially incompatible with Czech constitutional order.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has issued a heat warning valid from 1 to 6 pm today, with temperatures in Prague expected to reach 32°C. Health officials advise drinking water, avoiding sugary drinks, and limiting physical activity. For those out and about, Prague now has 47 misting stations and drinking fountains mapped online, activated automatically whenever temperatures exceed 23°C.