Czech news in brief for November 20: Thursday's top afternoon headlines

Owner of Seznam.cz, Czechia's largest internet and media company, Ivo Lukačovič said Thursday that he will sue ANO leader Andrej Babiš over the claim that he or his company failed to pay CZK 900 million in withholding tax on dividends. “It’s a flat-out lie,” Lukačovič responded. He plans to donate any acquired compensation to charity. Babiš told media earlier that Lukačovič should explain why his company is based in Cyprus. The owner founded Seznam in 1996 and claims that his firm has paid over CZK 40 billion to the state since.

Garage prices in the Czech Republic rose 19 percent year over year in the second and third quarters to nearly CZK 35,000 per square meter, according to Sreality.cz. Liberec and Zlín regions recorded the largest increases at 22 percent. In the capital, the year-on-year increase stood at 13 percent. Prices ranged from CZK 19,182 in Karlovy Vary to CZK 65,110 in Prague. Parking spaces rose 12 percent, with higher averages in Prague and Brno.

EU foreign ministers, including outgoing Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, approved Thursday the addition of ten people to the sanctions list for human rights abuses in Russia. The Czech-proposed entries include prison officials linked to torture of Ukrainian detainees, including journalist Victoria Roshchyna, who died in captivity. Judges and prosecutors involved in politically driven cases against Alexei Gorin and the associates of Alexei Navalny were also added.

Czech prosecutors filed charges Thursday against 14 women accused of exploiting prostitutes in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Police investigators say the group arranged recruitment, transport, and communication with clients, obtaining more than CZK 10 million. The main organizers (their exact nationalities have not been disclosed) face 11 years in prison. The main organizers paid the prostitutes an agreed portion of the profits for sexual services. All group members communicated with each other on encrypted devices, making detection hard.

Czech Prime Minister in resignation Petr Fiala will attend the EU–African Union summit in Luanda on Monday and Tuesday, the Presidential Office said Thursday. Leaders will discuss security, trade, investment and migration as the partnership marks 25 years. An Africa-EU Business Forum for policymakers and investors will run alongside the summit. The partnership was established at the first Africa-EU Summit in Cairo in 2000.

Today marks the first opening of Prague's many Christmas markets this 2025-26 winter season, at Náměstí Míru. Do you have a favorite market you visit every year?