Czech news in brief for November 25: Tuesday's top afternoon headlines

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov praised ANO leader Andrej Babiš, Slovak PM Robert Fico, and Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán at an Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe meeting today, calling them pragmatic and focused on their citizens’ interests. Lavrov said they are not pro-Russian but prioritize national concerns and avoid asking citizens to “sacrifice children” for Ukraine. Lavrov also referred to a "Nazi regime in Kyiv."

President Petr Pavel said abolishing fees for Czech Television and Radio could reduce public media independence if a new financing model is unclear. Speaking at Forum Media 2025, he emphasized that political culture and budget control matter, as influence over allocations may affect media loyalty. The emerging coalition of ANO, SPD and the Motorists promises to remove fees, but Pavel warned that predictable funding and safeguards are needed to protect one of democracy’s key pillars.

Mild earthquakes persist in the Cheb town within the Karlovy Vary region, with tremors ranging from 1 to 2 degrees almost daily since Nov. 20. Automatic stations recorded two quakes after 1 p.m. today, the stronger measuring 2.21 preliminarily. The largest recent tremors occurred Nov. 20–21. All quakes originate at depths over seven kilometers, east of Luby u Cheb and north of Nový Kostel. Minor tremors continue between stronger events, the Geophysical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences reports.

Parts of northeast Czechia will see heavier snowfall from Wednesday night, with up to 20 centimeters in lowlands and 25 centimeters in mountain areas, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute reported. Snow will be wet and sustained, potentially causing transport problems. Recent snowfall has already slowed traffic in Vysočina, with trucks stuck and icy roads reported.

Chamber of Deputies Speaker Tomio Okamura will propose postponing the mandatory use of the e-Legislation system (used by politicians for filing laws) by one year. Originally required from Jan. 15 next year, the system is not yet ready for legislative work, Okamura says. Upper house head Milos Vystrčil agreed that the system is difficult to use and would hinder members’ work. The Interior Ministry said implementation requires more time, noting that since July 2024, some international law acts have already used the platform.

A new major housing project is the latest of several that aim to redevelop parts of Prague's brownfield and industrial areas. Developments like these almost always create new, ready-to-move-in homes.