Czech news in brief for August 5: Monday's top headlines

Retail sales in the Czech Republic have increased for the seventh month in a row, with a 4.4 percent year-on-year growth in June. The largest contributions came from internet sales and stores selling cosmetic and toilet products. On a month-on-month basis, sales increased by 0.7 percent. Non-food goods had the highest increase at 6.4 percent, while internet and mail-order stores saw a 22 percent increase. However, sales for household products and products for culture, sports, and recreation saw a decrease.

Former Czech soldier Filip Siman is facing up to 10 years in a maximum security prison for looting during his time in the Ukrainian armed forces. In his closing statement, the prosecutor emphasized the seriousness of Siman's crimes, which include serving in a foreign military without permission. The prosecutor stated that the actions of Siman and others like him worsen the situation for Ukrainians already affected by war. Siman, who joined a Ukrainian volunteer battalion in 2022 without permission from the Czech president, claims he was promised impunity by the Czech prime minister.

Representatives of the Prague municipality hung a rainbow flag at the New Town Hall building to celebrate Prague Pride, a festival for the LGBTQ+ community. Rainbow flags are also displayed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior, as announced by Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský and Interior Minister Vít Rakušan. Lipavský expressed his support for the festival and its message of equality for all people. The festival, which is under the auspices of the city, will offer 200 events with a family theme and will culminate in a parade on Saturday.

According to the Ministry of the Environment, only 17 percent of used polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and no cans are recycled for production in the Czech Republic. The country’s Backup Initiative states that although Czechs sort plastics responsibly, the majority of collected waste still ends up in incinerators or landfills. The ministry is currently preparing an amendment that would implement a CZK 4 deposit for PET packaging and cans. It will also establish 11,000 collection points, including shops and gas stations.

Around 6,800 households in Central Bohemia were without power Sunday afternoon due to storms, primarily in Berounsk. ČEZ reported four high-voltage line faults and is working on repairs, spokeswoman Soňa Holingerová said. Mladoboleslavsk had 1,800 outages, Berounsk 4,500, and Prague-East 500. Firefighters also responded to weather-related incidents, including pumping water in Jílové u Prahy, according to spokesman Jan Sýkora.

Five people died in traffic accidents in the Czech Republic over the weekend, the highest toll in six weeks. On Saturday, four people died, including two in a head-on car collision near Bořitov and one in a multi-vehicle crash near Nejdek. Another fatality occurred near Heroltice. On Sunday, one person died in a crash on the I/35 road near Mírov. Over 260 people have died in accidents this year.

Labor Minister Marian Jurečka (KDU-ČSL) aims to finalize a coalition agreement on pension reform adjustments by the end of the holidays. MPs will resume discussions in September. Most coalition parties favor a slower retirement age increase, as suggested by demographers. Jurečka plans to consult with the opposition, meeting with SPD in August, though YES rejects joint talks. The proposal could allow earlier retirement for certain professions.

Competing in her first long-distance race, Czech cyclist Julia Kopecký finished 36th in the 158-kilometer women’s race at the Paris Olympics. The 19-year-old, the youngest competitor, said she cherished seeing fans and loved ones along the route. Despite earlier challenges in the time trial, Kopecký felt content with her performance. She is eager for future races and will soon announce a new team signing for two years.

The Brno Observatory has established a contact point for extraterrestrials on Kraví hora hill, announced director Jiří Dušek. The observatory invites the public to report any UFO sightings via an online form, aiming to identify and explain these phenomena. Ales Svoboda, a backup astronaut for the European Space Agency, has been appointed as the ambassador for outer space to support this initiative.