Czech news in brief for May 3: Sunday's top afternoon headlines

Firefighters continued battling a forest fire in Bohemian Switzerland National Park on Sunday afternoon, with the blaze now covering about 1–1.5 square kilometers. Authorities said the fire is no longer spreading, but two of four designated sectors remain difficult to control. Around 500 firefighters from eight regions and seven helicopters, including military and police units, are involved in the operation.

Nearly 300 historic vehicles drove through the center of Pilsen on Sunday as part of the traditional Freedom Convoy during the city’s Liberation Festival. The event marks the 81st anniversary of the liberation of western Bohemia by the U.S. Army. The procession included WWII-era tanks such as the M24 Chaffee and M4A4 Sherman, with a flyover by military aircraft also featured.

Foreign Minister Petr Macinka said President Petr Pavel’s plan to attend a NATO summit in Ankara is part of his re-election campaign. Speaking on Prima TV’s Partie program, Macinka argued that Prime Minister Andrej Babiš should represent Czechia instead, particularly on defense spending issues. He also questioned Pavel’s suitability for the summit despite his former NATO military role.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has expanded and extended its fire risk warning due to ongoing drought and rising temperatures. The warning now covers most of the country and remains valid until early Wednesday. Only parts of western Bohemia, including the Karlovy Vary and Plzeň regions, are currently exempt. Authorities warn against lighting fires in nature, burning grass, and discarding cigarette butts.

Czechia has the highest VAT rate on newspapers and magazines in the EU at 12 percent, exceeding the 10 percent threshold applied in countries such as Austria and Finland, according to European Publishers Association data. The Czech Publishers Union is calling on the government and parliament to reduce the rate, arguing that current taxation undermines the sustainability of print media. Publishers say most EU countries apply significantly lower rates, and some use zero VAT.