Czech news in brief for September 27: Friday's top headlines

President Petr Pavel and his wife Eva met with 300 Czech compatriots in Berwyn, near Chicago, as part of the Week of Czech Heritage. Greeted by traditional costumes and a brass band, Pavel thanked the crowd for preserving Czech traditions abroad. He highlighted the importance of U.S.-Czech ties and announced that Czechs living abroad will be able to vote in upcoming elections. Pavel also presented a new book honoring Eva Neugebauerova Hankova.

The Czech Pirate Party's National Forum begins voting today on whether to leave the government following the proposed removal of outgoing party chairman Ivan Bartoš. Bartoš announced the party's exit to Prime Minister Petr Fiala earlier this week, citing dissatisfaction with his dismissal, which Fiala attributed to issues with construction digitization. The vote, open to the party's 1,161 members, will conclude Monday evening, with results expected soon after.

The Slovak Ministry of Investment, Regional Development, and Informatisation (MIRRI) mistakenly used footage of Russia in a TV spot promoting EU funds and Slovakia’s beauty, opposition MP Veronika Remisova stated. The ministry withdrew the spot and blamed the contracting agency for not following instructions. Remisova criticized Minister Richard Rasi for the error, calling it a major embarrassment. The ministry announced the agency will rework the ad.

Pardubice plans to build the world’s largest hockey arena, with a capacity of 22,296 spectators, surpassing current record-holders in St. Petersburg and Montreal. The project, presented by Dynamo Pardubice owner Petr Dedek, will cost CZK 10.5 billion and include a smaller arena, hotel, and parking. Dedek expects the venue to host 100 events annually, including concerts with up to 26,000 attendees.

Merchants in the Czech Republic are seeing a gradual rise in sales as consumers begin to spend more, though they remain cautious with food purchases, according to a survey by the Trade and Tourism Association. Over half of food sales occur during discount events, with shoppers increasingly interested in domestic products and private brands. Despite the increase in spending, consumers are carefully considering their purchases and seeking out deals.