Czech news in brief for November 1: Friday's top headlines

The Czech Ministry of Finance reported that October’s state budget deficit rose by CZK 19 billion, reaching CZK 200.7 billion—an improvement over last year's CZK 210.7 billion but still the fifth-highest in Czech history. Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura noted that, despite increased expenditure pressures from investment needs and flood damage, total spending remained stable year-on-year. Revenues increased to CZK 1.602 trillion, with expenditures at CZK 1.803 trillion.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute today reported that October's average temperature in Prague’s Klementinum reached 12.7 degrees Celsius, placing it among the top 5 percent warmest since 1775. This October was 1.8 degrees Celsius warmer than the 1991–2020 average and almost 3 degrees Celsius above the 1775–2014 average. The highest daily average was 17.1 degrees Celsius on October 9, while the lowest was 10.1 degrees Celsius. Last October set the warmest record at 14.1 degrees Celsius.

The Union of Security Forces has announced a protest in front of the Interior Ministry in Prague on Thursday, Nov. 21, demanding better working and pay conditions for police officers and firefighters. Interior Minister Vít Rakušan previously offered a CZK 1,500 monthly pay rise, but police unions are seeking CZK 2,200. The union is also calling on members of the Czech Prison Service, Customs Administration, and municipal police officers to join the protest.

The Czech Chamber of Deputies has confimed it will delay approving a license fee increase for Czech Television and Czech Radio until early next year due to opposition resistance. The bill proposes a monthly fee increase of CZK 15 for television and CZK 10 for radio, originally set for January. The government cited a focus on pension reform and the state budget. When it comes into effect, the new law will force households to pay for any equipment capable of receiving broadcasts in any way, including via the internet.

According to Eva Pokorná, a donation consultant at the Institute of Clinical and Experimental Medicine (IKEM) in Prague, the institute aims to inform more foreigners about the importance of organ donation for their loved ones. IKEM plans to use videos featuring doctors from the Ukrainian and Vietnamese communities to dispel fears and misconceptions. In 2022, 229 people donated organs, helping 863 recipients, while around 1,000 patients await transplants.

According to Czech bookmakers, Republican candidate Donald Trump is again considered the favorite to win the upcoming U.S. presidential election. However, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris has a better chance of winning the popular vote. With less than a week to go, betting interest is increasing significantly. Trump has odds of 1.55:1 for an outright victory at Tipsport, while Harris has odds of 2.46:1. Czechs have already bet CZK 50 million, with the total expected to approach CZK 400 million.

Two pedestrians were hit by a tram in Prague’s center, disrupting public transport. The accident occurred at 6:36 a.m. on Ječná Street near the Štěpánská tram stop. The victims, a man, and a woman suffered multiple serious injuries after going outside the crossing. Trams were temporarily halted while the rescue services intervened. Traffic resumed at 7:15 a.m. following police clearance.

Prague's railway bridge at Výton can be repaired over four years with minimal traffic restrictions, according to a study by the Foundation for the Rescue of the Vyšehrad Bridge. The work, costing about CZK 2.5 billion, aims to preserve the bridge’s current form. The Railway Administration wants to replace it with a new structure, while local groups demand reconstruction. The administration plans to carry out the work from 2027 to 2029, estimating the cost at CZK 3.4 billion.

Unemployment in the European Union (EU) remained unchanged at 5.9 percent in September, which is also the lowest in the Czech Republic. Eurostat, the statistical office, reported that unemployment in the Czech Republic rose by 0.1 percentage point to 2.8 percent, but it remains the lowest in the EU. In the eurozone, unemployment remained at 6.3 percent. Compared to last year, unemployment has decreased in both the eurozone and the EU.

Czechia registered fewer foreigners among new HIV cases this year. A total of 209 new cases of HIV were reported in Czechia in the first nine months of this year, 12 fewer than last year. Foreigners living permanently in the country made up less than half of the newly diagnosed for the first time in two years. Sexual transmission remains the dominant mode of transmission, accounting for 53.6 percent of new cases.

Representatives of six health insurance companies, the Health Ministry, and the Association of Outpatient Specialists signed a memorandum on increased financial coverage for outpatient care in the Czech Republic, averting protest closures of surgeries. The increase will only apply to surgeries operating full-time and accepting new patients. The rise in payments for outpatient specialists exceeds the Ministry of Health's decree. The increase ranges from 3 percent for surgeries treating extra patients to 15 percent for non-surgical specialists.