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Summary for: Czech news in brief for November 13: Thursday's top afternoon headlines
Poll: Pavel has strong chance of re-election
politics President Pavel favored for second term, poll shows
President Petr Pavel would have a strong chance of re-election, with 58 percent of Czechs saying they would or might vote for him, according to an October STEM/MARK poll. Actor Marek Eben was the second most popular figure, followed by ANO head Andrej Babiš. Respondents described their ideal president as assertive, pro-Western, politically experienced, and non-partisan.
sport Prague Lions welcome EFA expansion
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced the immediate addition of London and Milan franchises, joining the Prague Lions team in the EFA. Gandler Sports Group, led by David Gandler, will manage the London team. “London is a cornerstone market for the EFA,” said Mason Parker, CEO of the Prague Lions, who performed strongly last season. Gandler called the move “the next chapter,” saying the expansion reflects the league’s growth and opportunity across Europe.
crime EU ministers back reparations loan to aid Ukraine
At an EU finance ministers’ meeting in Brussels, outgoing Czech Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura said most member states support using profits from frozen Russian assets to finance a “reparations loan” for Ukraine. The European Commission’s plan would mobilize up to EUR 185 billion (CZK 4.4 trillion) without confiscating assets, though legal and technical questions remain among some EU countries.
gaming Kingdom Come 2, Mafia: Homeland see strong sales
Czech video games Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 by Warhorse Studios and Mafia: Homeland, co-developed by 2K Czech, continue to perform strongly worldwide. Warhorse announced 4 million sales since February’s release and plans a complete “Royal Edition.” Publisher Take-Two Interactive said Mafia: Homeland outperformed forecasts, with both games set to receive additional content and updates.
finance Central bank tests blockchain portfolio
The Czech National Bank (CNB) has created a USD 1 million test portfolio of blockchain-based assets, including bitcoin, stablecoins, and a tokenized deposit, to gain hands-on experience in managing digital holdings. The two-to-three-year pilot will not form part of foreign reserves. The CNB emphasized full legal compliance and said it currently has no plans to hold crypto assets officially, though has floated the idea for the future.
📊 POLL OF THE DAY
November is reportedly the worst month for drivers in the Czech capital in terms of traffic.
