Czech news in brief for July 10: Wednesday's top headlines

Czech tennis player Barbora Krejčíková advanced to her first Wimbledon semifinal by defeating Latvia's Jeļena Ostapenko 6-4, 7-6 in one hour and 42 minutes. The 28-year-old, seeded thirty-first, will face last year's champion Jeļena Rybakina from Kazakhstan in the semifinal. Krejčíková, who won Roland Garros in 2021, broke a losing streak against Ostapenko and improved her Wimbledon best from the round of 16 three years ago. She has previously won both matches against Rybakina.

Czech Labor Minister Marian Jurečka announced today that old-age pensions in Czechia will increase by an average of CZK 356 next year, with the fixed component rising by CZK 290. The state will allocate CZK 12.2 billion for this pension indexation, totaling about CZK 705.9 billion. Approximately 2.85 million people receive pensions from the Czech Social Security Administration. The average pension will exceed CZK 21,000. Some CZK 705.9 billion are expected to go into pensions next year.

The Czech Supreme Court has today ruled that the Brno Regional Court's suspended sentence for the rape of a minor was disproportionately light, following a complaint by Justice Minister Pavel Blažek. The Supreme Court found that the Court of Appeal misapplied sentencing criteria in the case involving a stepfather who repeatedly raped and filmed his underage stepdaughter. Although the Supreme Court cannot overturn the decision, its ruling may influence future cases. The Brno court justified the verdict by taking into account the perpetrator's confession, a certain degree of self-reflection, and his obligations towards the rest of the family.

The Czech Association of Addiction Service Providers warned that the resignation of National Anti-Drug Coordinator Jindřich Vobořil could jeopardize the country’s drug-addiction policy. The association, representing 35 organizations, fears the shift of responsibilities from the Government Office to the Ministry of Health might weaken the agenda and halt reforms. They urged Prime Minister Petr Fiala and his cabinet to ensure the department's independence and continued government oversight. Vobořil cited significant pressure and governmental disagreement as his reason for stepping down.

Opposition leader Andrej Babiš defended ANO's alliance with the far-right Patriots for Europe faction while advocating for armed forces on southern European beaches to combat illegal migration. In a lengthy House of Representatives speech, Babiš denied Russian ties and association with fascists, calling criticism disinformation. The session, extended to prevent opposition obstruction, also appointed a parliamentary commission to investigate the Charles University shooting incident.

Czech President Petr Pavel met with US House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers to discuss Ukraine, defense spending, and the upcoming NATO summit. The talks also covered strategies to engage China and Russia in Ukraine negotiations. Pavel, who had earlier engaged with the Heritage Foundation and the Czech Caucus in Congress, highlighted the importance of strengthening NATO's eastern flank and modernizing defense capabilities.

Czechia's education and research quality has improved slightly, moving from 15th to 14th in the EU, according to an analysis released today by Ceska sporitelna bank, Europe in Data, and the Institute of Sociology of the Academy of Sciences. Nordic countries lead the ranking, with Sweden, Finland, and Denmark in the top three. The Czech Republic invests 4.9% of GDP in education and 1.96% in research, but it has the fourth lowest share of young people with university degrees in the EU. Efficient use of funds, not just increased budgets, is essential for improvement.

Over three-fifths of Czechs believe parents don’t need to be married if living together, and 85 percent see divorce as acceptable for dysfunctional families, according to a CVVM survey. Nearly half support same-sex marriage, with growing tolerance observed. The survey, conducted with 951 respondents, also highlights the increasing acceptance of non-traditional family structures, with significant backing for same-sex parenting and non-marital cohabitation.

Due to health issues, Queens of the Stone Age will not perform at Colors of Ostrava. Guitarist and Grammy winner Tom Morello will replace them. Last year, two headliners, Ellie Goulding and Burna Boy, also canceled. Singer Josh Homme’s health problems forced the band to cancel their July schedule, including eight European performances. Ticket refunds are available for single-day tickets purchased on July 17.