Czech morning news in brief: top headlines for June 29, 2021

Czech police have launched criminal prosecution of one individual and one legal entity from the Rožnov pod Radhoštem area over the poisoning of the Bečva River in September 2020. A company for the firm Energoaqua said that as the accused firm it will file a complaint against the prosecution. Police said company and an individual are being prosecuted on suspicion of damaging and threatening the environment and unauthorized handling of protected species living in the wild. The suspect is facing up to five years in prison and the firm an operation ban and a fine if they are found guilty. The serious environmental accident damaged the river in the section between Valašské Meziříčí and Přerov. The Czech Environmental Inspection says it was caused by cyanide. It leaked into the river on September 20, 2020, having damaged the whole water biotope and the conditions for all organisms bound to water in a 40-km section of the river. Over 40 tonnes of poisoned fish were transported to a rendering plant.

The management of Charles University will present preparations for the completion of its Albertov campus in the Karolinum in Prague on Tuesday. The conference will also be attended by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. Two buildings are being planned on campus, the so-called Biocentrum and Globcentrum, which will represent the largest construction of Charles University in the center of Prague in the last hundred years. The Minister of Education looks to the project to help the university jump in the rankings of universities increase its international prestige. Students could use the area from the winter semester 2026/2027.

Most Czechs trust Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) and Pirates leader Ivan Bartoš, with 26 percent and 25 percent, respectively, putting their trust in these politicians according to a poll conducted by the CVVM polling institute and released Monday. About 24 percent trust the leader of the opposition Mayors and Independents (STAN), Vít Rakušan, the leader of the anti-EU Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), Tomio Okamura, and the leader of the Social Democrats (CSSD) Jan Hamáček, each. As opposed to last September, trust in Babiš and Hamáček has considerably decreased. The respondents evaluated 19 senior officials of the parties. Babiš is now trusted by 26 percent of the polled but distrusted by 69 percent of the respondents, which was the highest proportion among the politicians. The second place was occupied by Bartoš, trusted by one-fourth of the respondents and distrusted by 62 percent.

Deputy Foreign Minister Martin Smolek passed a diplomatic note demanding full compensation of the damage caused by the Vrbětice blast in 2014 to the ambassador of Russia, Alexandr Zmeyevsky, Monday, the Foreign Ministry has told reporters. The note demands full compensation for the damage caused by what the foreign ministry calls "an internationally illegal act." Smolek also told Zmeyevsky that Russia's listing the Czech Republic as an unfriendly country violates international law, specifically the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the treaty on friendly relations and cooperation. Deputies recently presented a bill for one-off compensation of CZK 700 million to the regions, municipalities, and residents for damages incurred by the explosions. The Czech-Russian diplomatic rift was triggered by the findings of the Czech secret services that Russian military intelligence GRU agents were behind the blasts. Russia has denied the allegations.

Czech Television will hold a benefit on June 30 at Kampa in Prague to help villages hit last week by a strong tornado storm in southern Moravia. The live broadcast from 20:10 will feature performances from Dan Bárta, Richard Krajčo, Vojta Dyk, Čechomor, and Hana and Petr Ulrych will perform at the concert. Singer Adam Plachetka will perform with a dulcimer or play with the band Mňága and Žďorp. Many more artists will be added to the program. The concert is in support of Caritas CR, the largest non-state provider of social services which began to help recovery efforts in the affected area immediately after the rampage. Storms hit southern Moravia last Thursday, destroying about 1,200 houses in the Hodonín and Břeclav regions and claiming six lives.