Czech news in brief for February 15: Thursday's top headlines

The Czech National Bank (ČNB) reported that January's year-on-year inflation was lower than expected at 2.3 percent, compared to its previous forecast of 3 percent. The CNB noted that this was due to the fading of the statistical effect of the austerity tariff and the CNB's strict monetary policy.

Core inflation, which includes non-regulated commodities and volatile food and fuel prices, dropped to 2.9 percent, from 3.6 percent in December, lower than the CNB's forecast of 3.8 percent. The CNB attributes this decline to low prices of foreign inputs and a decrease in domestic demand due to the restrictive monetary policy. This led to a decrease in profits for manufacturers, sellers, and service providers.

Czech Republic's Defence Minister Jana Černochová announced at a NATO meeting in Brussels that the country is seeking allies to join them in deploying a field hospital to aid the people in the Gaza Strip. She emphasized that this would not be a solo mission, and they are currently in discussions with Italy, who has experience with similar operations in the Red Sea. 

The hospital is proposed to be on a ship, but options for it to be on Egyptian territory are also being considered, pending Egypt's approval. Černochová plans to meet with Czech Chief of General Staff Karel Řehka next week to discuss further. The Czech Republic believes this humanitarian assistance is necessary due to the dire situation in Gaza, and they are confident in their highly trained medical personnel to provide support.

President Petr Pavel will officially welcome five new ambassadors to the Czech Republic this afternoon. The ambassadors from Albania, North Macedonia, Kyrgyzstan, Gambia, and Ethiopia will present their credentials. The ambassadors of Albania and North Macedonia will be based in Prague, while the Kyrgyz ambassador will be based in Vienna, where he also serves as ambassador to Austria. 

The Albanian ambassador, Ilir Tepelena, has previously held diplomatic positions in Romania, Belgium, and Luxembourg, as well as several other European countries. Emil Krsteski will represent North Macedonia, and Tolendy Makeev will serve as the Kyrgyz ambassador.

The European Commission (EC) has lowered its growth forecast for the Czech economy this year to 1.1 percent, down from the previous estimate of 1.4 percent. The EU economy is also expected to see slower growth at 0.9 percent, compared to the previous estimate of 1.3 percent.

However, the economy is predicted to recover from last year's 0.4 percent decline, with support from factors such as high household savings, lower inflation, and increased real wages. The EC also expects a further acceleration of growth in 2023 at 2.8 percent. Private consumption was the main factor behind last year's decline, while net exports and public investments helped offset the impact. 

A court sentenced a 16-year-old foreigner, who cannot be named under the law, to four years in prison for brutally attacking and attempting to rape a woman at a bus stop in Prague last summer. The juvenile, who had previous boxing experience, assaulted the victim with his fists and attempted to rape her before being interrupted by another underage boy. The verdict is not yet final. 

The boy must also pay the victim CZK 457,000. The incident, which occurred in August 2023, sparked social media speculation about the suspect's nationality, but it has not been confirmed by the police. The boy fled the scene, leaving behind his identification documents and clothing.

The opposition ANO party has urged the Chamber of Deputies to establish a commission to investigate the December shooting at Charles University Faculty of Arts. ANO deputy Jan Richter, whose daughter was injured in the incident, proposed the commission, emphasizing his non-participation due to personal involvement.

Interior Minister Vit Rakusan deems the move premature amid ongoing criminal investigations. ANO group's Jiri Masek would represent them, focusing on police actions before the shooting. With 71 ANO MPs, the Chamber can set up the commission to access documents and question witnesses, potentially leading to criminal charges.

Approximately 100 demonstrators gathered at the Israeli embassy in Prague to protest the Israeli offensive in Gaza, particularly in the Rafah area. Protesters called for an end to Israeli attacks, explicitly condemning the offensive in Rafah and urging a ceasefire. They criticized the Czech government’s pro-Israel stance.

Police arrested a man attempting self-immolation during the rally organized by the Not in Our Name! group. Demonstrators, carrying Palestinian flags, demanded “Free Palestine” and “Hands off Rafah.” Speakers highlighted civilian suffering in Gaza, referring to Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. The death toll, claimed by Hamas, stands at 28,567.

Tram services at Libeň Bridge will partially resume from Saturday after being halted in mid-January due to the emergency condition of an inundation bridge on the Libeň Bridge side. The bridge over the Vltava remains operational.

Trams will operate solely from the Holešovice side, stopping at Libeň Bridge, adjacent to the affected inundation bridge. The limited service aims to ensure safety amid ongoing assessments and repairs.

Ervin Hoida, one of the last Czechoslovak World War II veterans, passed away at 105, the Ministry of Defense announced on social media. Born in 1918, Hoida, with Jewish roots, left Czech Lands in 1939, joining the Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade in the UK. Among the final five veterans from the Western Front, he fought against the Germans in France and later participated in the siege of Dunkirk.

Facing challenges as a Western soldier in post-war Czechoslovakia, he returned to Britain with his family. Recognized in 2021 by Defense Minister Jana Černochová, Hoida received the Cross of National Defense.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute forecasts above-average warm weather, with daytime temperatures exceeding ten degrees Celsius in many places on Friday. Cloudy skies, occasional showers, and possible mountain snow are expected. Nighttime temperatures may drop to one to five degrees. Over the weekend, it will be cloudy with occasional rain, and snow is anticipated in higher elevations.

Night temperatures will range from one to eight degrees. Daytime temperatures on Saturday will be eight to twelve degrees and up to ten degrees on Sunday. The following week will see similar conditions, with cloudy skies and temperatures around zero at night and five to eight degrees during the day.