Czech news in brief for October 17: Friday's top headlines

Good afternoon, this is Thomas with your Tuesday news recap. Here’s a quick rundown of the biggest takeaways from today that add real value to your life in Czechia. Read on to learn about a Europe-wide famous festival in Prague, migration updates, changes to the economy, digital reforms, and more. Have your say in our new poll, too.

A new digital gun permit system launching in January could cause serious outages, warn industry leaders. The move will replace physical gun licenses with electronic verification via the Citizen Portal, part of the Czech government’s digitalization push. But poor signal coverage and the risk of cyberattacks could prevent hunters and sport shooters from proving legal possession.

Why it matters: Backup offline options are being discussed to prevent system failures from halting gun exams, hunting events, and weapon sales.

While inflation across the EU rose to 2.6 percent in September, Czechia’s rate dropped to 2 percent, the sixth lowest in the bloc. According to Eurostat, Czechia continues to outperform its Visegrád neighbors—Hungary (4.3 percent), Slovakia (4.6 percent), and Poland (2.9 percent). The Czech National Bank has kept its key interest rate at 3.5 percent and will review rates again in early November.

Why it matters: Czech households are finally seeing prices stabilize after years of high inflation.

Czechia is seeing its largest influx of Ukrainian refugees since 2022, with over 11,000 people granted temporary protection in September alone—more than double the usual pace. The increase follows Ukraine’s decision to allow men aged 18–22 to leave the country for education abroad. However, NGOs warn that delays in processing protections could push newcomers into illegal employment.

Why it matters: The Interior Ministry says the trend could prompt talks on adjusting asylum and protection policies.

Czechia’s population grew only slightly last year, reaching 10.91 million, as births fell to the lowest level in history—just 84,300 babies in 2024. The fertility rate dropped to 1.37 children per woman, the lowest in 18 years, while fewer people are marrying and divorces rose by 7 percent, according to the Czech Statistical Office. Despite the demographic dip, life expectancy reached new highs: 83 years for women and 77 for men.

Why it matters: Experts warn that the shrinking birth rate could strain the economy and pension system in the coming decades.

Prague was aglow yesterday evening and will be again this evening as the 13th Signal Festival gets in full swing. Two main routes in the city center and Vinohrady feature highlights like a 3D water wall projection and indoor installations like Bill Viola’s Tristan’s Ascension at St. Salvator Church, which explores life, death, and creation cycles. Seven installations in the Signal INSIDE zone open spaces normally inaccessible to the public.

TIP: Visit early evening for the best light shows and smaller crowds, consider buying Signal INSIDE tickets for special access, and read our full guide on making the most of Signal.