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

The ANO movement will meet with coalition partners Motorists and the far-right SPD this morning to discuss the future government’s program statement and key legislation, including the state budget and the Chamber of Deputies’ rules of procedure. ANO deputy chairwoman Alena Schillerová said the talks aim to harmonize party priorities and address urgent legislative matters, while Motorists’ chairman Boris Šťastný described the session as a program-focused meeting.

Czech President Petr Pavel received credentials from four new ambassadors on Monday at Prague Castle, including Israel’s Amir Weissbrod, who will be based in Prague. Weissbrod, a veteran diplomat and former ambassador to Jordan, said he aims to deepen cooperation in water management, medicine, and security. Pavel also welcomed new ambassadors from Montenegro, Liechtenstein, and Bangladesh, who will serve from embassies in Vienna and Berlin.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate has confirmed businessman Nicholas Merrick as the next ambassador to the Czech Republic. Merrick, who will replace Bijan Sabet, has identified trade and NATO defense spending as his top priorities.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado urged global support for Venezuela’s opposition and an end to illicit financial flows sustaining President Nicolás Maduro’s regime during the Forum 2000 conference in Prague. Speaking online, Machado said drug, gold, and human trafficking fund the dictatorship and called on democracies to act. The opposition leader said Venezuela stands on the brink of freedom and vowed continued struggle for democracy.

German media reported that Filip Turek, honorary chairman of the Motorists party known for past racist remarks and Nazi references on social media, may become Czech foreign minister in the next government. The controversy has overshadowed post-election coalition talks led by ANO leader Andrej Babiš, who relies on support from the far-right SPD and the Motorists. Civil society and media have condemned Turek’s potential appointment.

Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, concluded today after six months, attracting more than 25 million visitors, including over 1.5 million to the Czech pavilion. The fair, which faced challenges such as insect swarms, water contamination, and a train outage stranding 30,000 visitors, generated an estimated profit of 23–28 billion yen. The closing ceremony handed over the International Bureau of Expositions flag to Saudi Arabia, which will host Expo 2030.