Czech news in brief for August 7: Wednesday's top headlines

Police have charged 14 individuals and 5 companies for alleged corruption related to the manipulation of public contracts in the Ústí nad Labem region. Among the accused are Chomutov mayor Marek Hrabáč and the director of the road administration, Libor Tačner. The ANO party has removed Hrabáč from their list of candidates for the regional elections and plans to expel him from the party. The director of the Chomutov zoo and several other individuals also face charges. The police have intervened in several other regions, including Karlovy Vary and Central Bohemia.

According to the local police, a Czech man who worked in a Viennese construction company confessed to a double murder that occurred a few days ago in a hotel in the Alsergrund district of Vienna. The victim, a 29-year-old work colleague, was found with a serious head injury and was pronounced dead upon the arrival of the ambulance. The suspect, a 33-year-old Czech, claimed self-defense. He also confessed to another murder of a 44-year-old Slovak in the same hotel on June 16.

The Prague Metropolitan Court today sentenced Alexander Franchetti, a fugitive Russian citizen, to five years in prison and a 10-year expulsion from the Czech Republic for his involvement in the annexation of Crimea in 2014.The prosecutor had initially requested a ten-year sentence and indefinite expulsion for Franchetti, who was detained at Prague Airport in September 2021 based on a Ukrainian arrest warrant. The Supreme Court later cancelled the decision for fear of human rights violations in Ukraine. 

According to a draft regulation published on the Czech government's website, monthly old-age pensions in the Czech Republic will increase by an average of CZK 355 starting in January, reaching CZK 21,059 next year. This includes a CZK 290 rise for all recipients of old-age, invalidity, and survivors' pensions, as well as a 0.4 percent rise in the merit part of their pensions. The pension bonuses for resistance fighters, and political prisoners will also increase by 0.4 percent. 

Temperatures in Prague and parts of Central Bohemia and Ústí Regions will reach 32°C on Wednesday afternoon, prompting a warning from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. The heat poses risks of overheating and dehydration. A tropical weather alert is in effect from 1 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A cold front will bring showers and thunderstorms later. Residents are advised to stay hydrated and limit physical activity.

The Prague Transport Company (DPP) has re-evaluated the tender for the second part of metro D construction, awarding the contract to Subterra for approximately 30 billion crowns, excluding VAT. This decision follows complaints and subsequent reviews prompted by the PORR, VINCI, and Marti (PVM) association. Construction began in 2022, with the current project phase connecting Olbrachtova to Nové Dvory. Completion is expected in 2031 due to delays.

The Czech automotive industry, a key economic pillar, saw Škoda Auto become the fourth best-selling brand in Europe in early 2024. Domestic car production has increased year-on-year despite an 8 percent decline in June. Škoda’s European market success boosted exports to Germany, Britain, and France. The industry produced 774,000 cars in the first half of 2024, with 93 percent exported. The top models include Škoda Octavia, Kodiaq, and Scala.

According to the National Institute of Public Health, Czechia has reported 1,930 Lyme disease cases in the first seven months of 2024, the highest in a decade. Additionally, 362 cases of tick-borne encephalitis have been recorded. New infections spike during summer, with one-third detected in autumn. While a Lyme disease vaccine is developing, a vaccine for tick-borne encephalitis is available and partially covered by health insurance.

 Miroslav Bernat, a Czech war veteran and one of the last participants in the 1944 Battle of the Dukla Pass, died at 100. Bernat, a Volhynian Czech, volunteered for the Czechoslovak foreign army in 1944 and was wounded during the battle. He later helped liberate eastern Slovakia. The Ministry of Defense celebrated his 100th birthday this year. Bernat spent most of his post-war life in northern Bohemia.