Czech news in brief for December 16: Saturday's top headlines

Vienna Archbishop and Cardinal Christoph Schönborn hailed Karel Schwarzenberg as a great man, patriot, and European during the funeral mass held at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna today. The former Czech foreign minister, part of the renowned Schwarzenberg noble family, passed away on November 12 at the age of 85 in Vienna, where he had familial ties.

The packed cathedral saw the presence of Schwarzenberg's family, current and former Austrian politicians, diplomats, and the public. Schönborn highlighted Schwarzenberg's commitment to patriotism and European ideals, also acknowledging his role during the Velvet Revolution and association with President Václav Havel. The funeral took place a week after the ceremony at Prague Castle.

Kristian Danev, a 39-year-old Slovak charged with a 2009 murder in Poděbrady near Prague, will finally face trial in the Czech Republic next week after years of evading the police, including hiding in Argentina. He was detained in Argentina in 2018 based on an international arrest warrant but was extradited to the Czech Republic only in May of this year.

The murder is linked to a cannabis cultivation facility. Facing 10 to 15 years in prison under the previous criminal law, Danev is accused of stabbing an associate after a dispute. The trial is scheduled to begin at the Central Bohemian Regional Court on Tuesday.

The Czech Justice Ministry has publicly apologized to lobbyist and businessman Roman Janoušek for the illegal prosecution he faced in the Chambon laboratory case, leading to his acquittal in February. Janoušek, along with others, was accused of extorting over CZK 239 million from health insurers.

The courts ruled that the charges were not proven. The ministry acknowledged the unlawful procedure of law enforcement authorities and apologized for the non-pecuniary damage caused to Janoušek's personal and professional life. Janoušek had sought CZK 155 million in compensation for the prosecution, which led to the police blocking his assets for about ten years.

Tragedy struck in Prague's Klánovice forest as police have confirmed a double murder, with one victim being a child. The case was first reported on Friday after gunshots were heard in the forest near Čmelická Street. Police patrols subsequently discovered two lifeless bodies at the scene.

Authorities classified the incident as murder on Saturday morning, launching an investigation to apprehend the perpetrator. Standard criminal procedures, including crime scene examination and evidence evaluation, are underway. No information regarding potential danger to the public has been disclosed.

The Czech government is contemplating withdrawing the proposed extension of mandatory work breaks for risky professions from at least five minutes to at least ten minutes, scheduled to take effect from January 2024. The Ministry of Health has acknowledged the difficulty for companies to implement the extended breaks and potential economic losses.

The original proposal aimed to provide longer breaks for workers in more challenging environments, but concerns about its impact on the national economy, particularly in industries like automotive manufacturing, have prompted a reconsideration. The Ministry plans to address the issue in early 2024.

The Czech Republic's national futsal team finished qualification round for the upcoming championship in the last position after facing tough opponents such as Spain, Italy, and Slovenia. With only one point after five matches, the team's disappointing performance led to the resignation of coach Tomáš Neumann, who guided the team through three World Championship participations and five European Championship appearances over 18 years.

Neumann, expressing his decision in a press release, cited the need to pass on his experience elsewhere. Speculation surrounds Pilsen coach Marko Kopecky as a potential successor. Neumann's farewell match will be against Slovenia, aiming to give the young generation an opportunity and end on a positive note.

The City of Prague has confirmed Friday that it will not host organized fireworks displays for New Year's Day, continuing the trend from 2020 due to animal welfare concerns and subsequent cancellations amid the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the law, people cannot set off fireworks, firecrackers, or pyrotechnics in busy areas, conservation spots, on floodplains, in nature parks and protected areas, around waterways, and on islands, dams, and dykes. People have regardless set off pyrotechnics in the city center on New Year's Eve since 2020, leading to fines from the police. The municipality has recently put up signs in both Czech and English warning people not to set off fireworks in Wenceslas Square.

Vice President of the European Commission Věra Jourová (from Czechia) has helped spearhead an EU agreement made Friday on media freedom, aimed at safeguarding journalists' work and enhancing transparency in media ownership. The initiative, influenced by the tragic fate of murdered Slovak journalist Ján Kuciak in 2018, seeks to counter threats like political pressures, economic constraints, opaque ownership, and excessive consolidation in media ownership.

Jourová emphasized the pivotal role of media in upholding democracy, underscoring that failures in a few countries pose a collective challenge for the entire EU. The legislation, considered groundbreaking by experts, intends to fortify media independence and diversity across the European bloc amidst escalating threats and attacks faced by journalists to Eastern-oriented countries.

The Czech ice hockey team – undefeated this season – faces Switzerland at 6 p.m. today in the Euro Hockey Tour tournament after a recent victory against Finland. The squad is eyeing a five-game winning streak in one calendar year, which would be a first for the nation. The competition features just one other country – Sweden – who battles it out along with Czechia, Switzerland, and Finland every year to try to take home the trophy.

Coach Radim Rulík, despite the victories, emphasizes the team's need for improvement in coordination and communication. Czechia’s next match after the Swiss showdown will be versus Sweden, taking place Sunday afternoon.

Completion of the final stretch of the important Czech D11 highway that will run into Poland is facing delay as objections from Czech construction firm MI Roads have halted Polish company Budimex's construction efforts. MI Roads, a subsidiary of Metrostav, protested Budimex's win citing alleged incompetence in tunnel construction, despite Budimex offering the lowest bid. 

The project involves an 11-kilometer complex section with 28 bridges and two tunnels, slated for completion by 2027 at a cost of CZK 11.4 billion. Budimex, while confident, awaits a decision on objections by Dec. 22, anticipating potential further delays impacting the strategic transport construction.

The Czech military will receive the first 10 out of a total 246 CV90 infantry fighting vehicles from Sweden in 2026, according to a statement by the Czech Army today. The purchase agreement, totaling CZK 59.7 billion, was formalized in a Czech-Swedish inter-governmental deal. 

A committee of seven people will convene biannually to oversee project progress between the Czech Defense Ministry and arms firm BAE Systems Hagglunds. The first meeting covered testing, certification, deliveries, and team formations across acquisition, design, and industrial collaboration. Winter trials have already started at the manufacturing site. The next meeting is slated for mid-2024 in Czechia.