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

The European Commission (EC) has announced proceedings against the Czech Republic for breaching the defense procurement directive (a set of rules governing the transparent, fair, and competitive acquisition of goods and services for defense purposes) during the purchase of military helicopters. 

Czechia received a formal notice and has two months to respond. The violations relate to the acquisition of US Venom and Viper helicopters for around CZK 17 billion; the EC says that Czechia did not act transparently enough during its purchase of the aircraft. The government has defended the purchase, citing security interests and reducing dependence on Russia.

The Association for Safe Vending Machines (ABPA) and another group of product sellers have announced that they will voluntarily withdraw edible goods containing the hemp-derived cannabinol HHC from their stores. This comes following concerns raised by the national anti-drug coordinator Jindřich Vobořil about HHC’s toxicity, especially for young people.

Approximately 100 individuals have experienced health issues after consuming HHC products in the past 12 months. Health Minister Vlastimil Válek aims to classify HHC as a prohibited substance, pending government approval. The proposed solution involves amending regulations on psychomodulating substances, restricting sales to individuals aged 18 and above, and banning advertising.

Chairman of the ANO movement and former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has said that he will likely need to face trial indefinitely regarding allegations of collaboration with the Communist Secret Service (StB) pre-1991. Earlier today, his constitutional complaint in Slovakia against the rulings of the Bratislava Regional Court and the Supreme Court was not upheld.

Babiš vowed to vindicate himself and said he would never give up the legal fight against Slovak institutions. Babiš emphasized his ongoing denial of collaboration with the StB and highlighted his legal actions against previous court decisions. He stressed that while the court didn't determine his collaboration, he's already initiated proceedings against the appropriate institution in a bid to sue it.

The Czech Chamber of Deputies today approved a governmental proposal to redefine the Czech legal definition of rape – from forced to non-consensual sexual intercourse. The amendment also ensures that sexual acts with children under 12 are always treated as rape, rather than sexual abuse. 

Now pending evaluation in the government’s constitutional-legal committee, the amendment adopts the "no means no" principle, where the victim's dissent can be expressed through gestures, crying, or defensive actions. The Ministry of Justice favors this approach over requiring active consent, aiming to align with criminal law principles. Minister of Justice Pavel Blažek emphasized the extensive discussions held with opposition representatives.

According to spokesperson for the Prague Municipal Court Adam Wenig, the court will issue tickets for the upcoming proceedings in the Čapí Hnízdo (Stork’s Nest) corruption case involving former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and his ex-advisor Jana Nagyová. The trial is scheduled for Feb. 14 and Feb. 15 in a courtroom with 80 seats, possibly expanded to accommodate 36 more on a balcony due to high public interest. 

Babiš and Nagyová face charges related to a suspected fraud of a CZK 50 million EU subsidy for the Stork’s Nest construction project. The Prague court decided to reopen the case following an appeals court decision overturning their earlier acquittal. 

Prime Minister Petr Fiala has announced that Czech European Affairs Minister Martin Dvořák will not appoint a commissioner for Czechia to join the European exchange-rate mechanism (ERM II) and adopt the euro. On Monday, Dvořák appointed an economist as his commissioner for euro adoption, which angered many coalition partners.

Economist Petr Zahradník will keep serving as Dvořák's adviser, but he will not evaluate entry to the eurozone. The cabinet will request the opinion of the National Economic Council of the Government and the Legislative Council of the Government by October to evaluate the issue of Czech's potential ERM II accession. Based on these evaluations and the country's economic results for the year, the cabinet will then make a decision on beginning talks for joining the eurozone.

Prague has confirmed it will host a NATO conference in May, with top diplomats such as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to attend. The Czech Foreign Ministry has allocated a budget of CZK 100 million for the event. According to Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, this meeting will be the largest alliance event held in the Czech Republic since the 2002 NATO summit. 

The conference will highlight Czechia's active participation in the Western world's security vision and its willingness to invest politically and financially in NATO. The Czech Republic is in 2024 celebrating 25 years since joining NATO.

Five areas in the Hradec Králové and Pardubice regions are experiencing initial stages of flooding, with water levels gradually decreasing since Tuesday night, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute reports. The eastern part of Bohemia saw a rise in river levels due to heavy rainfall on Monday night and Tuesday, causing several areas to reach the third-level flood-warning alert.

The increased levels of the Orlice river led to the closure of major roads. Authorities advised people to be alert at several locations, including the Les Králové dam, the confluence of the Elbe and Orlica, and the towns of Němčice and Přelouč.

Defense Minister Jana Černochová in the Chamber of Deputies Tuesday gifted a T-shirt with a picture of an F-35 airplane to opposition leader Andrej Babiš. The ANO leader has previously expressed doubt about the purchase of the F-35 military aircraft, stating that it is not a priority for the Czech Republic and that the focus should be modernizing the country's heavy brigade in accordance with NATO commitments.

Černochová, who arrived wearing a jacket and F-35 T-shirt, defended the purchase by calling the F-35 a highly versatile platform. She also posted about the gift on social media, playfully reminding Babiš of the aircraft's popularity in NATO.

The town of Nové Město (Vysočina) has officially started hosting the 2024 Biathlon World Championship, marking the first time in 11 years that Czechia is hosting the competition. The newly reconstructed Vysočina Arena will host the first race, mixed relays, on Wednesday at 5:20 p.m. Jiří Hamza, head of Czech Biathlon, welcomed the championship and hopes for good weather and for Czech athletes to perform well. The championship will run until Feb. 18.

The world championships are an annual event – last year, they were held in Oberhof, Germany. The 2025 championship will be at Lenzerheide, Switzerland.