Czech news in brief for October 24: Tuesday's top headlines

Czech car manufacturer Škoda Auto plans to increase gearbox production at its Vrchlábí plant by nearly 30 percent this year, from 538,000 units in 2020 to approximately 690,000 units. The plant's workforce has grown by 250 employees, and production has been extended from five to seven days a week.

The plant, with a total of 1,100 workers, has become a reliable supplier of DQ 200 automatic transmissions, meeting the high demand within the Volkswagen concern. According to Ivan Slimák, the plant's head, fluctuations in the market will not affect Vrchlabí due to Volkswagen's guarantees.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer are planning to visit Israel on Wednesday to show solidarity with the Israeli people, according to Austrian media. Fiala spoke about the situation in the Middle East today during a lunch meeting with President Petr Pavel today.

The trip comes as Israel is engaged in a conflict with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which started with an attack by Hamas in southern Israel. The attack resulted in over 1,400 deaths, mostly civilians, and prompted Israeli retaliatory actions that claimed the lives of nearly 5,800 people, according to Palestinian authorities.

Around 6,000 doctors and other health professionals in the Czech Republic have given notice of overtime work, with more expected to join the protest. The unions are demanding a reduction in overtime hours and an increase in basic earnings. Hospitals are facing a shortage of up to 4,000 doctors and 5,000 nurses.

The protesters also want to link basic earnings to the average wage. The government has announced a budget allocation of CZK 6.8 billion for remuneration growth next year. Unions are calling for changes to the labor code to address the situation.

The websites of the Ministry of the Interior and the Czech Police were temporarily unavailable this morning due to a DDoS cyber attack. The attack, believed to have originated from Russia, also affected the websites of the Fire and Rescue Service and the parliamentary summit of the International Crimean Platform. The websites were working again after 10 a.m.

State institutions, municipalities, and private companies in the country have been repeatedly targeted with such attacks. The National Office for Cyber Security registered 21 cyber incidents in September, which is considered above average.

Czech police are accusing 11 foreigners from the Balkans of growing and exporting large amounts of cannabis in rented Prague apartments. The criminal group rented over 20 apartments in various Prague neighborhoods such as Vinohrady and Žižkov to set up illegal nurseries for cannabis cultivation.

The owners of the flats had no idea their properties were being used by an international organized group, according to a press release from the National Drug Control Center. The nurseries produced a significant amount of cannabis intended for export, with the group selling at least 75 kilograms of marijuana at high prices. The police seized plants, dry marijuana, growing tents, firearms, and forged documents.

Czech Environment Minister Petr Hladík emphasized the need for the Czech Republic to address global greenhouse gas emissions and break the growing trend by 2025. Speaking today at the opening of the Czech-German climate dialogue, he called for a different approach to climate protection, including accelerating activities and reducing bureaucracy. Hladík also stressed the importance of adaptation measures and involving citizens in climate-related decisions.

Additionally, Ladislav Miko, the government's commissioner for international negotiations, highlighted the need for comprehensive aid to developing countries, taking climate and biodiversity impacts into account. Radim Tolasz from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute emphasized the importance of timely decision-making to tackle climate challenges.

Following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said that humanitarian aid to Gaza must not be used for further attacks on Israel. He said the Czech Republic supports Israel's right to self-defense. Lipavský noted diverging views on Gaza aid but agreed that delivery is complicated.

While EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell prioritized Gaza aid, Lipavský questioned how a ceasefire with Hamas could ensure civilian safety. He also said future Gaza governance and removing Hamas require discussion. Ministers also addressed continued military aid and sanctions for Ukraine, as well as Hungarian PM Orban's meeting with Russian President Putin.

A report from the Czech Agency for Social Inclusion found the number of municipalities with a high proportion of people living on welfare and without jobs rose last year. There were 191 such municipalities in 2022, up from 175 in 2021. Meanwhile, the number of municipalities without exclusion held steady at around 3,605.

A spokesperson for the agency said the deterioration was expected due to Covid-19, inflation, and energy costs. Problem areas tend to be on the outskirts of regions like Ústí nad Labem, Karlovy Vary, and Moravia-Silesia. The index aims to better target EU and domestic funds to projects addressing social issues. It has tracked exclusion since 2016.

Portu Gallery Investments, a subsidiary of the WOOD & Company investment group, has secured a notable collection of Alphonse Mucha's artworks, now encompassing 422 artifacts valued between CZK 250 and 300 million. This collection was originally curated by Ivan Lendl and subsequently expanded by private collector Richard Fuxa. Portu Gallery said in a press release Monday that it would open the collection to public investment through a subscription opening on Oct. 28, coinciding with Czech Statehood Day.

This initiative allows the public to partake in owning a national treasure, with investors contributing to decisions regarding the collection's future sale. The gallery cites the growing art market and global demand for Mucha's works to underscore the appeal of art as an investment. The acquisition of this prestigious Mucha collection marks a significant milestone in the art investment landscape.

A former municipal police officer in Lipník nad Bečvou, Czech Republic, has been accused of abuse of power for physically assaulting an intoxicated man during a police intervention in February. Regional police spokesman Libor Hejtman said the 60-year-old faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Video appeared on social media showing officers kicking and stepping on the man's head and neck. The municipal police fired the officer for refusing an alcohol test. The other officer was only a witness and faces no charges. Lipník Mayor Miloslav Přikryl called it a rare incident, saying nothing similar had happened in the past 30 years.

On Oct. 28, stargazers in Czechia can observe a partial lunar eclipse visible to the naked eye starting from 9-11 p.m. The Moon will pass through the edge of the Earth's shadow, blocking up to 12 percent of its light. The penumbral phase begins over 3 hours after moonrise when the Moon appears dark on the southeastern horizon.

The maximum partial eclipse occurs at 10:14 p.m. as the Moon moves into the umbra. Nearby, the bright planet Jupiter will be visible just 6 degrees east of the Moon. Binoculars should allow viewing of lunar craters and refracted sunlight on the eclipsed portion. The next lunar eclipse visible from the Czech Republic will occur on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024; a total eclipse will occur on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025.