Czech morning news in brief: Top headlines for September 6, 2021

A poll commissioned by Czech Television has suggested that the SPOLU coalition has the largest share of potential voters of any political grouping in this October’s elections. The coalition of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), the Christian Democrats (KDU-ČSL) and TOP 09 would get up to 31.5 percent of the vote if everyone who is considering voting for it does so, said the poll. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s ANO party was in second place using this methodology, with 30 percent of voters thinking of voting for the party. The Pirates + STAN coalition was in third, with a potential voter haul of 27.5 percent. Fourth and fifth places were occupied by Freedom and Direct Democracy on 13.5 percent, and the Social Democrats (ČSSD) on 10 percent.

The Czech space program and related technological progress will become more of a priority for the Czech Republic, leading to further investments, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said at the official opening of the European Union Agency for the Space Program in Prague. Babiš said the space program may become a key area of economic development after the Covid crisis. He promised more support from the Czech government in all areas of EUSPA operation. The EUSPA recently came into existence after the transformation of the European satellite navigation system, coordinating EU space programs while operating the Galileo navigation system. Czech Minister for Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček noted the importance of space technologies in spheres such as transport, agriculture, industry and the environment.

Prague Fashion Week started in the Czech capital on Saturday, presenting carefully selected works by design talents from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. As well as the fashion show itself, a number of side events will take place during the week making Prague “alive with design and fashion”. Prague has celebrated a fashion week, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, since 2010, following other global metropolises such as New York, Sydney, Moscow and Berlin. Events during the week will take place in locations throughout Prague, including galleries, showrooms, bars and up-market hotels. The largest fashion show in the Czech Republic is a major event on the international fashion calendar, taking its aesthetic inspiration from shows in Paris and Milan.

Czech tennis star Barbora Krejčíková will play in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open after defeating Spanish opponent Garbia Muguruza 6-3 7-6. Krejčíková is through to the second grand slam quarterfinal of her career and of the season, after winning the French Open title earlier this year. Krejčíková started strongly in the game in New York, but Muguruza recovered and battled hard. Although the Czech star swept to a formidable lead during the second set, a series of errors and a strong performance from her opponent left the match finely poised. Following a short injury break, the Czech player recovered to win the tiebreak game despite persisting physical discomfort. As well as the French Open, Krejčíková has won two other WTA singles tournaments this year. Advancing to the U.S. Open quarterfinals should move her up to number seven in the global women’s rankings.

Estimates suggest that between two and three thousand people attended a performance of Czech composer Antonín Dvořák’s Rusalka during the Opera In Šárka event on Saturday. The open-air amphitheater in Prague’s Divoká Šárka has an approximate capacity of ten thousand people, but pandemic measures led to restricted capacity for the performance. People of all ages came to watch Dvořák’s world-famous work, performed by the soloists, orchestra, choir and ballet from the National Theater. Admission was free, while an interactive element was created through the distribution of roast pork and cakes to spectators by actors during a scene set during a castle ball. The annual Opera In Šárka event took place for the sixteenth time this year, having been called off in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.