Czech news in brief for July 15: Monday's top headlines

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský expressed support for Serbia's EU accession efforts after meeting with Serbian counterpart Marko Djurić in Prague. Lipavský highlighted the importance of maintaining constructive dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. Djurić stated that Serbia's strategic priority is EU membership and they are working towards meeting all necessary conditions by 2027. However, Lipavský cautioned against setting a specific date for accession as it can create false expectations and may not lead to sufficient efforts from politicians.

President Petr Pavel spoke at a Czech young person's camp this afternoon, stressing the need for a common goal that the whole society can embrace. He believes that since the fall of communism in 1989, the Czech Republic has achieved many goals, but still needs to find its own Czech dream. He emphasized that since joining NATO and the EU, it is almost as if Czechia has "run out" of goals to accomplish. He also emphasized the importance of politicians not just following public opinion, but also having the courage to challenge it and surrounding themselves with intelligent and like-minded individuals. 

A recent poll by research agency STEM/MARK finds that 42 percent of Czech citizens believe obtaining a firearms license is easy, a 16 percent increase from 2017. The agency attributes this change in public opinion to the tragic shooting at Charles University in December and other factors. Over two-thirds of Czechs support stricter gun possession laws, including psychological and medical evaluations and police power to seize weapons. While the current gun law has equal support and opposition, only a third of the population has a thorough understanding of it.

The Czech and Ukrainian governments will meet in Prague on Tuesday to discuss cooperation in defense, energy, migration, Czech exports and involvement in the reconstruction of Ukraine. Czech ministers will also hold bilateral meetings with their Ukrainian counterparts. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal will be received by Czech President Petr Pavel at Prague Castle, with no planned media comment. This follows a previous meeting in Kyiv in October 2022, where the Czech government expressed support for Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU and NATO. 

The Nežárka river's flood level in the Jindřichův Hradec district dropped from third to second level by midnight Sunday, with similar levels in Lásenice. The Kamenice river's flood threat also lessened, with water entering basements and requiring firefighter intervention. Nineteen were evacuated from a children's camp. Despite weekend storms and heavy rains, the flood situation is stabilizing. Tropical temperatures are expected next week across the Czech Republic.

The live broadcast of Czech tennis player Barbora Krejčíková’s Wimbledon final triumph on ČT2 drew 456,000 viewers, nearly a third of the viewership, with over 100,000 more watching the evening recording, Czech TV spokeswoman Vendula Krejčová said. Despite high interest, the viewership was lower than recent Czech hockey and football events. The match was also aired on Eurosport and ČT Sport.

Anti-Semitism persists despite post-WWII hopes, says Czech Jewish official Petr Papoušek. He noted a surge in anti-Jewish hatred following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. An EU survey showed rising anti-Semitism, with 43 percent of Czech Jews perceiving an increase. Papoušek attributes the rise to societal changes and crises. The survey also found that 54 percent of Czech Jews avoid public displays of their identity, reflecting growing safety concerns.

The European Commission’s preliminary findings indicate that Elon Musk’s Internet network X violates EU digital content regulations. If confirmed, the company faces fines and mandatory changes. X disputes the findings, with Musk alleging illegal collusion by the EC to censor content quietly. The Commission criticized X’s account verification, advertising transparency, and data provision practices, threatening fines of up to 6 percent of annual sales if violations are upheld.

Dozens of fans in Prague commemorated late pop singer Karel Gott’s 85th birth anniversary at his grave in Malvazinky cemetery. The Karel Gott Club members, celebrating its 50th year, laid flowers and lit candles. Gott, who died on October 1, 2019, from leukemia, was honored by 49,000 people at Zofin Palace, with a memorial mass at St. Vitus Cathedral the following day.