Czech news in brief for December 26: Thursday's top headlines

Over 360 participants plunged into the icy Vltava River for the 78th Alfred Nikodem Memorial swim, cheered by hundreds of spectators. With water at 4.3°C, swimmers tackled courses up to 750 meters. Lenka Pavlacá secured her 10th win. The event, honoring Prague goldsmith Alfred Nikodem, dates back to 1923 and celebrates the tradition of winter swimming in Czechia.

Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) will give his traditional New Year’s speech tonight, continuing his annual St. Stephen’s Day address. Fiala has previously focused on challenges like inflation, energy prices, and populism while expressing hope for economic improvement. Last year, he anticipated 2024 would mark recovery, with stabilizing prices and rising real wages. President Petr Pavel delivers his message on New Year’s Day.

Nearly 22 percent of Prague residents left the city for Christmas, with a similar trend in Brno, according to O2’s Dataclair.ai. Ostrava saw a smaller outflow at 11 percent. Commuting also dropped sharply, with Prague seeing 150,000 fewer daily commuters—a 57 percent decline. While many Prague and Brno residents traveled farther afield, those from cities like České Budějovice and Ostrava stayed closer to home within their regions.

 The Sex Pistols will headline the 30th Rock for People festival in Hradec Králové from June 11–15, joining acts like Linkin Park, Slipknot, and Guns N' Roses. This marks the iconic punk band’s second Czech visit. Festival director Michal Thomes reported record ticket sales, with 85 percent sold. The event will feature over 100 acts, including Biffy Clyro, IDLES, and Ewa Farna, on expanded stages at Park 360.

Czech real estate demand is forecasted to grow in 2025, driven by improving economic conditions and lower mortgage rates, experts say. Prices for both owner-occupied and rental housing may rise by 5-10 percent, with limited new construction fueling demand for older properties. Commercial real estate investment is expected to exceed CZK 50 billion, up from CZK 38 billion this year, with domestic and foreign interest increasing.

Wild horses will return to Podyjí National Park, with seven foals expected in 2024, grazing coordinator Robert Stejskal announced. The horses, introduced in 2018 to maintain overgrowth-prone pastures, currently graze two locations. A new 100-hectare forested area near Havraníky will open in spring. Conservation efforts aim to protect the park’s rare biodiversity, recognized in 2000 with the European Diploma for Natural Heritage.

Student numbers at Czech public universities rose to 280,200 in 2022, up from 261,500 in 2018, though still below 2013 levels, Czech Statistical Office data show. Education Minister Mikuláš Bek warns of graduate shortages, advocating increased enrollment and funding for critical fields. Despite a planned CZK 34.9 billion budget for 2024, protests in June highlighted calls for long-term university funding solutions, citing ongoing underfunding concerns.