Czech news in brief for May 30: Saturday's top morning headlines

Good morning and happy Saturday. Here’s your Saturday Morning Mix, bringing you the key stories from across Czechia.

This morning’s news is led by the final public display of the skull relic of St. Zdislava in Jablonné v Podještědí, before it is permanently placed in the saint’s crypt following its recovery after a May theft. In other developments, meteorologists are warning of isolated thunderstorms across parts of Czechia later today, mainly in Bohemia.

The skull relic of St. Zdislava will be shown to the public for the last time on Saturday in Jablonné v Podještědí during a pilgrimage service before being permanently placed in the saint’s crypt. The relic was stolen from a basilica on May 12 and later recovered after being encased in concrete, prompting its restoration and brief return for the ceremony.

Plans for relic: After the final display, the Church plans to store the relic securely in the crypt beneath the basilica altar and will no longer exhibit it due to its extreme fragility. The pilgrimage began in the morning from nearby Zdislava and is led by Archbishop Stanislav Přibyl, with thousands expected to attend.

Agrofert will transfer nine chemical companies across seven European countries into a newly created subsidiary, AGF Nitrogen, according to documents filed in the Czech commercial register. The new company will remain fully owned by Agrofert and will include fertilizer and chemical businesses in Czechia, Slovakia, France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Italy.

Wider context: The restructuring comes as the European Commission continues reviewing whether Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s placement of Agrofert into a trust fund complies with conflict-of-interest rules tied to EU subsidies.

The Prague Stock Exchange returned to growth on Friday after two consecutive losing sessions, with the PX index rising 1.02 percent to 2,547.39 points. Most major stocks posted gains, led by industrial, banking, and energy shares. The strongest performers included Gevorkyan, Philip Morris, and banking group Erste.

Crown also stable: The Czech crown was largely unchanged against the euro and US dollar heading into the weekend. Analysts said the crown remained stable despite weaker-than-expected first-quarter economic growth data and ongoing developments in the Middle East, showing little reaction to either domestic or international events.

A two-day aviation show, Aviatická pouť, begins today at Hradec Králové Airport, featuring more than 40 aircraft and attracting thousands of visitors. The event is being held in Hradec Králové for the first time after previously taking place in Pardubice. Flight demonstrations begin at noon and continue for at least five hours each day.

What to know: Police have warned of expected traffic congestion around the airport and on access routes, recommending visitors use shuttle bus services. The relocation follows the transfer of Czech Air Force JAS-39 Gripen operations to Pardubice Airport during modernization work at the Čáslav air base.

Localized thunderstorms may develop across parts of Czechia on Saturday, particularly in western and southern Bohemia during the afternoon and evening, according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. The storms are expected to be scattered and fast-moving, bringing limited rainfall but potentially strong wind gusts.

Weather outlook: Meteorologists said isolated hail cannot be ruled out and may issue a severe weather warning on Saturday if conditions worsen. Weekend temperatures are expected to reach 24–28 degrees Celsius before cooler, wetter weather arrives early next week, with more persistent rain forecast for Monday.