Czech news in brief for June 14: Friday's top headlines

European Affairs Minister Martin Dvořák advocated for flexible and transparent EU enlargement reforms at the Prague European Summit. He emphasized the importance of including the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia in the EU. Dvořák highlighted his recent initiative, supported by 14 countries including Germany and Spain, urging the Belgian EU presidency to advance Ukraine and Moldova's accession negotiations, believing it would invigorate their reform efforts. He also said that the Western Balkans had not been given the attention it deserved, and the EU accession process had been slow, if not stagnant.

Czech Defense Minister Jana Černochová announced that NATO will take over coordinating arms supplies to Ukraine from the U.S., with unanimous agreement except for Hungary, which received an exemption from funding and personnel involvement. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized the need for predictability and transparency to avoid delays in military support. The final approval will occur at the NATO summit in Washington in July. "I see this as a benefit, and I think it will also save a lot of different negotiations and sometimes misunderstandings," Černochová added.

The Prague Metropolitan Public Prosecutor's Office has announced that the Czech police have concluded their investigation into the tragic shooting at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague last December, which claimed 25 lives including the attacker's. They have shelved the case and will be delivering the resolution to all victims next week. The police will be able to comment on the case now that the prosecutor's office has lifted their information restriction. The case was expected to be closed by June 20.

According to astronomer Petr Horálek from the Institute of Physics in Opava, people in the Czech Republic and Slovakia have been able to see noctilucent clouds, a rare phenomenon that occurs in the weeks around the summer solstice. These glowing clouds, caused by ice particles high in the mesosphere, appear in the north between 10 p.m. and midnight, or in the early morning between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. They are illuminated by sunlight from below, creating a beautiful spectacle. 

MPs will continue debating the controversial introduction of postal voting for Czechs abroad today. The government-initiated electoral amendment faced strong opposition criticism in the five-hour session on Wednesday, preventing a vote. Opposition MPs from ANO and SPD are expected to dominate the debate again.

The proposal allows Czechs on embassy voter lists to vote by mail in presidential, parliamentary, and European elections, starting with the 2024 House of Representatives elections. Critics argue it risks vote manipulation and undermines electoral integrity.

Czech inspectors and customs officials blocked two Vietnamese chili pepper shipments totaling 1,135 kilograms due to excessive pesticide residues, said Pavel Kopřiva, spokesman for the State Agricultural and Food Inspection. The shipments, imported by Prague-based companies TeTe Fresh and PTTAN, contained pesticides exceeding the 0.01 mg/kg limit. Both shipments were disposed of, and administrative proceedings will be initiated against the importers.

European holidays will cost Czechs about five percent more this year due to the weaker crown, now at CZK 24.70 per euro, according to a Portu analysis available to ČTK. Popular destinations like Croatia, Slovakia, Italy, and Greece will be affected. Conversely, trips to Turkey and Egypt will be cheaper due to favorable exchange rates. The weaker crown also means higher transport costs, including flights and highway tolls.

The Czech Republic will send Army fighter pilot Aleš Svoboda into space, reports CNN Prima, making him the second Czech astronaut after Vladimír Remek. Despite initially rejecting the costly offer last year, the government now sees the over one billion crown investment as worthwhile. Transport Minister Martin Kupka asserts it will yield high returns, though economist Lukáš Kovanda deems it too expensive. The mission involves contributions from Czech aerospace and arms industries.

Doctors at Prague-Motol Hospital performed the first combined heart-lung transplant on a child in Czechia, the hospital announced. The 15-year-old patient, suffering from pulmonary hypertension and heart failure, required both organs. The complex surgery involved specialists from Motol University Hospital and Charles University. This marks the first such procedure for a child in Czechia, where eight adults have undergone the operation since 2014.