News in brief for July 11: Top headlines for Czechia on Tuesday

Markéta Vondroušová has advanced to the semi-finals of Wimbledon, securing a victory against Jessica Pegula, the world number four, marking her second career Grand Slam semi-final appearance; in 2019 she reached the Roland Garros final.

Vondroušová defeated world number no. 4 Jessica Pegula from the U.S. after sets 6:4, 2:6, and 6:4, although she lost 1:4 in the third set. In the fight for the final, she will challenge world no. 1 Iga Świątek or Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina. 

Olga Havlová, the first wife of the late Czech and Czechoslovak president Václav Havel, was born on July 11, 1933, in Prague’s Žižkov neighborhood. She met Václav Havel, who was three years younger, in the mid-1950s, and married him in 1964, becoming his advisor, critic, and support despite Havel's infidelities, iDnes writes.

During her life, Havlová focused on charitable work, starting the Committee of Good Will – Olga Havel Foundation (OHF) in 1992. A bus stop and an adjacent street named after her are also in Žižkov. To this day, she remains one of the most popular first ladies in the history of the Czech Republic. 

Meteorologists from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) issued a warning for strong storms that starts tonight at 1 a.m. and ends at 7 a.m. Throughout Wednesday and Thursday, Czechia will experience storms with wind gusts between 80 and 110 kilometers per hour, hailstones of up to 4 centimeters in size, and heavy rainfall. A fire warning for Prague and other regions has been in effect since last weekend.

ČHMÚ added that the storms will happen in the Karlovy Vary, Pilsen, Ústí, Středočeského, and South Bohemia regions, and on the entire territory of Prague. 

Around 160,000 customers of energy company ČEZ, who have been paying prices above the government's price ceiling, will have the opportunity to switch to lower tariffs, ensuring they won't pay above their level for energy starting in 2024 when the government ceilings expire. This could result in average annual savings of approximately CZK 8,000 for each customer.

ČEZ will contact these customers gradually, and solutions are also being prepared by innogy for customers with prices above the ceiling. The government-imposed price ceilings for electricity and gas, which have been in effect throughout this year, are expected to end at the beginning of next year, with wholesale energy prices gradually declining.

Antees, a Czech company, will launch electric shared scooters in Prague and Brno starting in the first half of July, with a fleet of 100 vehicles in each city. The company has acquired the BeRider scooters from Škoda Auto DigiLab, which ceased its operation in May. Antees plans to expand its scooter fleet to 200 in Prague during the holidays, targeting delivery couriers and logistics companies.

The company aims to offer competitive pricing compared to personal ownership, with insurance and free charging at public charging stations included. Antees also plans to enter Romania in August, followed by Slovakia and Poland by year-end.

Czech customs officials detained 13 individuals in May in connection with an illegal cigarette production operation, resulting in excise tax evasion exceeding CZK 111 million. The arrests were part of a collaborative effort among Czech, Polish, and Slovak customs officials targeting illegal tobacco product manufacturers.

Acting on a tip from Polish counterparts, Czech customs officers raided an illicit cigarette factory in Hradec Králové, confiscating 8.5 million counterfeit Marlboro cigarettes, 22 tons of tobacco, and a machine capable of producing 2,500 cigarettes per minute. Additionally, assets valued at CZK 4.5 million and luxury vehicles worth approximately CZK 10 million were seized. 

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has announced that trade unions and employers will collaborate on a proposal to modify the austerity package, which will then be submitted to the prime minister and the coalition for assessment. The prime minister said that no fundamental changes are expected, emphasizing that the austerity package will be promoted as presented.

The meeting between the government and the unions was described as factual and open, with hopes of reaching a common understanding. The negotiations lasted for five intense hours.

Czech President Petr Pavel has arrived in Vilnius for the NATO summit scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Alongside President Pavel, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, Defence Minister Jana Černochová, and Chief of General Staff Karel Řehka will represent the Czech Republic at the summit. President Pavel will participate in the NATO Public Forum prior to the summit, where global leaders will discuss NATO-related topics.

The summit is expected to address support for Ukraine, the alliance's eastern flank reinforcement, defense spending, and the potential membership of countries like Sweden and Ukraine. Czech representatives aim to clarify the conditions for Ukraine's NATO membership.

Markéta Vondroušová is set to compete in the Wimbledon quarterfinals today, aiming to reach the semi-finals and surpass her previous best performance on grass in London. Vondroušová, who reached the final at Roland Garros in 2019, has struggled to advance past the second round at Wimbledon in the past. This year's improved performance saw her defeat fellow Czech Maria Bouzková in round sixteen.

Vondroušová faces fourth-seeded American Jessica Pegula this afternoon in the quarterfinal. Petra Kvitová lost to Tunisia's Ons Jabeur yesterday. Despite the loss, Kvitová said she remains optimistic about the rest of the season and has no plans to retire, looking forward to what lies ahead in her career.

Trust in the European Union has reached its lowest level since 2016 in Czechia, according to a poll by the CVVM institute. The survey revealed that 46 percent of Czechs trust the EU, down from 58 percent in the previous year. Trust in NATO and the United Nations also declined, with 56 percent and 52 percent of Czechs expressing confidence in the organizations, respectively.

The poll further indicated a decrease in trust in EU institutions and representatives, with only 38 percent having confidence in the European Commission and 36 percent in the European Parliament. The survey was conducted from March 27 to May 22, 2023, on 834 participants.

The 18th edition of the Bohemia JazzFest will kick off today at Prague Castle's Royal Garden, marking a change in venue from the historic center of Prague. The festival, organized by guitarist Rudy Linka, has been moved to Prague Castle to celebrate the election of the new president, Petr Pavel.

The event will feature performances by various artists, including the renowned Portuguese singer Camané accompanied by the Camané Quartet. The festival, which aims to showcase and promote top-world jazz in the Czech Republic, has become one of Europe's largest summer jazz music festivals. Entry is free.