Czech news in brief for September 1: Tuesday's top morning headlines

The school year kicked off today with a presidential surprise in Moravia: word that Washington isn't thrilled with Prague's defense math, a record-breaking budget deficit, and a giant slide opening in the Czech capital. Good morning, here's your headline mix.

President Petr Pavel opened the school year at a 113-pupil school in Brodek u Konice, Moravia, after the school's then-fourth-graders wrote him a handwritten letter tying the invitation to the school's 100th anniversary. He was welcomed by a brass band and roughly 300 local residents, the first time a sitting president has visited the region.

First of its kind: Principal Kateřina Dostálová said the school didn't dare hope the visit would actually happen, noting there's never been a presidential visit anywhere in the area.

The Trump administration has informally signaled to Babiš's cabinet that Czechia's planned two percent of GDP for 2027 defense spending isn't enough, per four Deník N sources. Washington wants direct spending at 2.5 percent next year, climbing 0.2 points annually, while Babiš calls two percent his "absolute minimum."

The split: Foreign Minister Petr Macinka is said to be more open to compromise than Babiš, who reportedly doesn't care what the Americans think on this one.

City councilors approved Nusle and Ryšánka for two stations on the metro line under construction, while rejecting proposed new names for three other stops, including one tied to a writer with a Communist Party past.

Timeline check: The Pankrác–Nové Dvory stretch isn't expected to open until the second half of 2032, after a 2.5-year tender delay.

The Finance Ministry's 2027 budget proposes a CZK 389 billion deficit, the second-deepest in Czech history, well above the 3 percent of GDP analysts expected, landing instead at 3.5 percent.

Why it matters: Analysts warn faster state borrowing could push the Czech National Bank toward further rate hikes, meaning pricier mortgages just as households see relief elsewhere.

Starting tomorrow, suspended school train services resume and some long-distance routes get extra capacity as the post-summer rush begins. A new color-coded occupancy indicator, green, orange, red, now shows up when booking tickets online, so travelers can gauge crowding before they buy.

Good to know: Reservations are required on some routes, including Ostrava–Prague, and Czech Railways recommends booking early or traveling off-peak for longer trips.

Bambino in duplicate. Prague is gifting a replica of the Infant Jesus of Prague to a diocese in Ireland's County Kerry, marking Ireland's EU Council presidency. The statuette, beloved locally as the "Child of Prague," is being presented to Bishop Raymond Browne with full ceremonial regalia.

Sliding into the new school year. Prague 6 opened the city's longest slide on Sept. 1, a 40-meter slide in Dejvice built for roughly CZK 4 million. Adults are welcome too, with a 200-kilogram weight limit and no age cap, just a minimum height of 120 centimeters.

Freight update. Construction has begun on a new tram line linking Žižkov and Jarov through the former freight station, with completion expected in a year. The line will include a rare single-track stretch, the first regularly operated in Prague since 1983.