Czech news in brief for November 9: Saturday's top headlines

Former Prague mayor Zdeněk Hřib has been elected Pirate Party chairman, defeating ex-senator Lukáš Wagenknecht. Hřib aims to reform the party to strengthen its liberal centrist position ahead of next year’s elections. Replacing long-time leader Ivan Bartoš, Hřib pledged to revitalize the Pirates, who are at risk of losing parliamentary representation after recent regional and European election setbacks.

Dozens of Roma community members gathered in Náchod’s Masaryk Square today, voicing concerns for safety after a young Roma man was injured in an altercation last weekend. The peaceful two-hour protest was organized by the Roma Association of Náchod and took place without incident, according to police spokeswoman Karolina Macháčková. Authorities continue to investigate the assault.

A new mobile-based emergency warning system in the Czech Republic is expected to begin operating in the second half of 2025. Known as Cell Broadcast, the system will allow authorities to send targeted alerts to specific areas without overloading mobile networks. The system, currently being developed by the Czech Fire Rescue Service in collaboration with the military, aims to provide faster and more accurate warnings than the existing SMS-based systems.

Czech President Petr Pavel emphasized the need for Europe to boost and refine defense investments to protect its values and security at the Prague Defence Summit on Friday. Speaking at the National Museum, Pavel warned that the standard two percent GDP investment is insufficient, urging coordinated defense initiatives, especially within NATO. Pavel also stressed transatlantic cooperation to counter rising authoritarian regimes, including Russia and China, and reiterated continued support for Ukraine.

The Czech Pirate Party will elect a new leader today following an initial vote this morning. Prague's Deputy Mayor Zdeněk Hřib and former senator Lukáš Wagenknecht have advanced to the second round, which will take place later today. Hřib received the most votes in the first round, with over 500, while Wagenknecht secured around 400 votes. Former leader Ivan Bartoš, who resigned in September after the party's poor election results, expressed confidence in the party's future leadership.

The Masaryčka office complex, Karlovy Vary’s Imperial Spa, and Hradec Králové’s football stadium were named Czech “Buildings of the Year” at an award ceremony in Prague’s Rudolfinum on Friday. Organized by the Foundation for Architecture and Construction Development, the 32nd edition recognized 15 projects from 38 nominations, including Červená Řečice Castle and Český Krumlov’s Eggenberg brewery.

The Czech government estimates flood damage from September at CZK 45-50 billion, with over half impacting state property, Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura announced. The floods heavily affected the Moravia-Silesia and Olomouc regions, incurring damages up to CZK 30 billion and CZK 20 billion, respectively. To address the crisis, the government has raised this year’s budget deficit by 30 billion crowns.

The Regional Court in Hradec Králové sentenced 26-year-old Jakub Tůma to life in prison for murder in connection with an arson attack that killed a 72-year-old man and his dog in Plotiště nad Labem. Prosecutors argued that Tůma deliberately set fire to a family home last September, intending to kill the occupants. Though Tůma denied involvement, the court found him guilty of multiple offenses, including murder and attempted murder.

The Czech national hockey team will face host nation Finland today in the Karjala Tournament, part of the Euro Hockey Tour. Both teams opened the tournament with wins; Finland narrowly defeated Switzerland 3-2 in overtime, while the Czechs beat Sweden 5-2 in Karlovy Vary. The match is set to begin at 4 p.m. The Czech team arrived in Helsinki on Friday after a morning practice. Their last encounter with Finland was a 1-0 shootout win six months ago at the World Championships in Prague.

Liberec Region has begun monitoring building shifts due to activity from Poland’s Turów coal mine, Deputy Governor Jiří Klapšte announced. Sensors in 18 buildings in Hrádek nad Nisou and Heřmanice will track shifts over the next decade. With the region investing 1.9 million crowns in the project, the monitoring aims to address residents’ concerns about water loss, noise, dust, and potential subsidence caused by the mine's expansion near the Czech border.