Czech news in brief for October 15: Wednesday's top afternoon headlines

Nearly half of Czechs believe Motorists party honorary chairman and newly elected MP Filip Turek should quit politics altogether, according to a poll by NMS. Turek has faced controversy over past racist (such as a Nazi salute) and homophobic comments and a threat he made to a Saudi embassy employee. About one-quarter of respondents said he should remain only as an MP, while 14 percent would back him as foreign minister. Coalition talks among ANO, the Freedom and Direct Democracy, and the Motorists are still ongoing. There is no set end date for the talks.

Since the start of Russia’s invasion, Czechia has provided Ukraine with military aid worth CZK 17.4 billion, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said Wednesday. The amount includes surplus material, equipment purchases and soldier training. In return, Czechia received about CZK 25 billion from EU and allied support. Fiala said over 3.7 million rounds of large-calibre ammunition have been delivered, with 1.8 million expected by year-end. Defence Minister Jana Černochová urged the next government not to abandon the profitable initiative.

ANO leader and likely next Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said on Wednesday that the outgoing government could break the law if it fails to resubmit next year’s state budget, which currently forecasts a CZK 286 billion deficit. The former finance minister warned of possible financial damage if no action is taken. Parliamentary elections earlier this month dissolved the previous lower house, which can no longer debate the proposal. The ANO chief requested that his emerging cabinet be able to discuss the budget with the Finance Ministry's budget section director, Karel Tyll. 

Prague’s new Škoda 52T trams have completed homologation and could enter full service within three weeks, the Prague Transport Company (DPP) said Wednesday. Each tram now awaits certification from the Railway Authority before being transferred to DPP ownership. Thirteen vehicles are already housed at the Hloubětín depot, with seven more in production. The first 52T tram began passenger testing in June and has since logged over 20,000 kilometers across the city. Škoda Group will deliver up to 200 trams by 2023, with 40 entering service by the end of next year.

 The Czech government has approved the creation of a national apartment register to improve housing policy and track real estate availability, Regional Development Minister Petr Kulhánek said Wednesday. The database, jointly developed by his ministry and the Finance Ministry, should be completed within two years of adopting the related legislation and fully functional by the 2031 census. The most recent census data show about 200,000 unoccupied flats nationwide, a figure up 40 percent since 2011.