Czech news in brief for April 23: Tuesday's top headlines

Prime Minister Petr Fiala stated this afternoon that simply adding more money to the Czech healthcare system will not solve its problems. He emphasized the need for greater efficiency, prevention, and adaptation to an aging population for long-term sustainability. Fiala also suggested opening up the debate on direct payments for above-standard services. Health Minister Vlastimil Válek added that while the costs for public health care have doubled since 2010, its accessibility and quality have not improved.

Thirty-four-year-old Czech hockey forward Jakub Voráček, who won the 2010 Ice Hockey World Championship with Czechia and has played over 1,000 games in the National Hockey League, officially announced the end of his active career in an interview today. Voráček cited health reasons, including repeated concussions, as the main factor in his decision. He last played in November 2022 and has since been a part of the management team for Czech League club Kladno alongside Jaromír Jágr.

Representatives from the Museum of Roma Culture, the Memorial to the Roma and Sinti Holocaust opened privately today in Lety, South Bohemia, on the site of a former concentration camp for Roma people during World War II. The construction, costing CZK 102 million, was completed in less than two years. The memorial, which has been discussed since 1995, will open to the public on May 12 with a commemoration ceremony. Historians estimate that 327 Roma people died at the camp, with over 500 being transferred to Auschwitz.

According to spokeswoman of the ČTK news agency Martina Vašičkova, an unknown attacker breached the security of ČTK’s website and posted fictitious texts in Czech and English earlier today. One of the fabricated texts featured a headline about the attempted assassination of Slovak president-elect Peter Pellegrini, while the other included a false statement from Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský about the fabricated event. However, the breach did not affect ČTK’s news service, distributed to clients.

President Petr Pavel will continue to mediate pension reform negotiations, considering a round table discussion with Tripartite Council representatives and experts by late May or early June. Talks were called after the opposition ANO movement withdrew from recent discussions, expressing concerns over the government's unilateral approach. Deputy Prime Minister Marian Jurečka intends to present a draft reform proposal to the government on April 30, aiming to address the system's sustainability concerns amidst opposition.

In April, the Czech Statistical Office recorded increases in the majority of food prices. Apples surged by 9.07 percent to CZK 37.28 per kilogram, while plain wheat flour rose by 7.04 percent to CZK 21.14. Year-on-year, potatoes saw a 24.75 percent hike. Despite some fluctuations, industrial producer prices remained steady, with analysts noting a moderation in food price reductions and minimal impact on consumer inflation. Consumer prices grew by two percent year-on-year in March.

Actress Hana Brejchová, celebrated for her memorable role in the acclaimed film Miloš Forman film Loves of a Blonde (1965), has passed away at the age of 77 in Prague. Brejchová garnered recognition at the Venice Film Festival for her role in Forman's Oscar-nominated film. She worked with Forman again in 1989's Amadeus. Her career spans some 30 films; here sister Jana was married to Forman.

Today the State Electoral Commission will assign numbers to mark ballots for 36 parties, movements, and coalitions in the upcoming European Parliament elections in the Czech Republic. These numbers aim to organize candidate groupings and streamline election result processing, reducing confusion. Traditionally, numbers one and seven, considered lucky, are popular. ANO secured victory in 2019 with number 30. This year, ANO and Pirates run independently, while others form coalitions for the June elections.

Artist Epos 257's exhibit, featuring thousands of Czech banknotes worth CZK 878,600 in a plastic bag, will be showcased at the Czech National Bank. Originally auctioned in 2018 as 3,080 transactions for CZK 1.36 million, it's been retitled 3,081 transactions. The display, part of the People and Money exhibition, explores art's value and money's influence. Epos 257 previously engaged visitors in an economic transaction at the National Gallery Prague in 2017.