Czech news in brief for October 22: Tuesday's top headlines

The Ministry of Justice has this afternoon reported that a cyberattack has disrupted its operations, affecting courts, prosecutors, and related services like the online Probation and Mediation Service and the Criminal Register. The Czech Senate's website was also targeted but is now restored, with the National Office for Cyber Security investigating the matter. Justice portal websites and judicial databases were impacted but are gradually being restored. The attack is ongoing, authorities say.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) today released a report predicting that the Czech Republic's GDP will increase by 1.1 percent this year, up from its April forecast of 0.7 percent. The IMF also expects GDP to rise by 2.3 percent next year. This aligns with the Czech Ministry of Finance's August forecast, although the ministry is more optimistic about next year's growth. The Czech Republic will have the weakest economic growth among the Visegrád Group countries.

Police spokeswoman Dagmar Brožová confirmed this afternoon that a 40-year-old man has been charged with murder and attempted murder after allegedly killing a 28-year-old woman in Plzeň and attacking a 37-year-old woman in Třemošná (a Pilsen town). Authorities arrested him after a suicide attempt. The suspect, reportedly a doctor from Domažlice, faces up to life imprisonment. Investigators will propose his custody to the prosecutor. Police discovered the crimes after responding to a report of violence on Sunday.

The 80th Prague Spring festival in 2025 will feature new artists, world-renowned orchestras, and the "return of famous personalities," festival organizers announced today. The Czech Philharmonic, led by chief conductor Semjon Byčkov, will open the festival on May 12 with Bedřich Smetana's My Homeland. The festival will also debut the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, among others, with over 50 concerts.

Czech Railways will boost train services for the upcoming weekend and autumn holidays on Oct. 28-30. Additional cars will be added to busy long-distance routes from Oct. 25, primarily on lines connecting Prague with Ostrava, Bohumín, České Budějovice, Cheb, and Hradec Králové. Despite the strengthening of connections, passengers should expect high occupancy rates next week. He therefore recommends that passengers reserve a seat on the train in advance. 

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala criticized the settlement between the Slovak Interior Ministry and opposition ANO leader Andrej Babiš, in which the former cleared the latter of belonging to the communist State Security (StB) pre-1991. Fiala called it a political deal. Fiala accused Babiš of collaborating with Slovak politicians (with similar ideologies) to overturn a court ruling. Babiš has consistently denied being involved with the StB. The current Czech cabinet believes he worked for the StB.

Health Minister Vlastimil Válek and Association of Outpatient Specialists chairman Zorjan Jojko announced that outpatient specialists are still planning a protest next Tuesday and Wednesday after failing to reach an agreement today. Meanwhile, general practitioners canceled their protest after the Health Ministry agreed to adjust the 2025 healthcare funding decree. The ministry and specialists will meet again Thursday, with further talks involving health insurers. Jojko emphasized negotiations could still prevent the protest.

The Czech koruna opened the week lower, falling to 25.28 CZK/EUR and 23.33 CZK/USD, according to Patria Online data. This drop follows gains from the previous week after the European Central Bank's interest rate cut. The Prague Stock Exchange remained stable, with the PX index slightly up by 0.01 percnet to 1,627.52 points. Notable stock performances included Gevorkyan's shares, rising 0.78 percent, while Erste and Komerční banka saw losses.

General practitioners in the Czech Republic have canceled their planned protest for Oct. 29-30 after the Ministry of Health agreed to amend the reimbursement decree for 2025. Minister of Health Vlastimil Válek confirmed that payments for general practitioners will increase from 2.8 percent to 3.3 percent, meeting their request. Despite this, the total healthcare costs remain unchanged, with cuts to central medicine funding. The ministry will discuss payment issues with outpatient specialists on Tuesday.

A survey by Germany's Ifo Institute reveals that nearly 11 percent of Ukrainian refugees have returned home since Russia's invasion, while 35 percent plan to return when safe. Additionally, 25 percent wish to settle permanently in Europe. The desire to return has decreased over time, influenced by the ongoing conflict. As of Oct. 15, 2024, over 6.7 million Ukrainians have fled, with approximately 380,000 residing in the Czech Republic, contributing more to the economy than received in support.

The Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into the December 2023 shooting at Charles University's Faculty of Philosophy has completed its witness interrogations, interviewing around 30 individuals, primarily police and paramedics, over approximately 50 hours. Commission chairman Pavel Kašník stated they will now draft a final report, with further meetings planned for mid-November. The attack resulted in 14 fatalities and 25 injuries, with the perpetrator taking his own life.

The Štvanická lávka project in Prague won the Grand Prix Architects 2024, selected from 207 entries by the Community of Architects. The jury awarded unique blue cubes, designed by Bohumil Eliáš, to the winners. Vítězslava Rothbauerová received the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Big Red Cube. The winning team comprised Petr Teje, Marek Blank, Jan Mourek, Aleš Hvízdal, and Jan Hendrych for their outstanding architectural contribution.