Saturday edition: A cheat sheet to this week's headlines in Czechia

It’s Saturday morning, and we’ve put together a weekend news roundup, breaking down the headlines that made waves this past week (Oct. 28-Nov.1). Catch up on what you missed and head into the weekend informed and connected with what’s happening across Czechia.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico sparked a political maelstrom with his appearance on Russian state television this week. In a surprising shift from the widely accepted pro-Ukraine stance, Fico suggested that EU support merely prolongs the conflict. The leader of the Smer-Social Democracy party, made his remarks via video link, seemingly competing with the Russian interpreter for airtime. The appearance prompted swift backlash from Slovak opposition figures as well as former Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovič, who labeled Fico “a horrible treacherous ferret.” 

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala quickly labeled Fico’s comments to Russian media a “mistake,” asserting, “The blame is clearly on Russia’s side... Russia is the aggressor. To question and weaken it in any way is, in my opinion, completely unacceptable.” Meanwhile, as Slovakia’s government pulls back on military aid to Ukraine, questions linger about the implications for regional stability and the delicate balance of Czech-Slovak relations.

Czech health care is on the verge of a transformative makeover with legislation allowing Czech insurance holders to seek treatment abroad. This would make the trek across the border for a check-up as easy as popping over to a German grocery store for better, cheaper Nutella. The amendment, approved by the government Wednesday, would simplify the process for Czechs seeking treatments like preventive care without the usual administrative hassle. 

Czech patients can currently seek care, for instance, via an existing cross-border health center in Gmünd, Austria. The amendment to the Act on Public Health Insurance would make projects like this one standard practice. However, concerns remain regarding patient willingness and the logistics of cross-border healthcare.

With the U.S. presidential elections set for Tuesday, Czech President Petr Pavel’s prior jabs at Donald Trump are back in the spotlight, stirring up worries about the future of Czech-American relations if the former president makes a comeback. After calling Trump “a truly repulsive human being” in 2022, pundits wonder if Pavel might find himself in a diplomatic pickle should he need to navigate a second Trump presidency.

Local bet makers show that Trump is emerging as the favorite to win the upcoming U.S. presidential election, though Democratic candidate Kamala Harris is projected to have a better chance of winning the popular vote. With betting interest surging, Czechs have already wagered CZK 50 million, and total bets are expected to reach around CZK 400 million, with Trump’s odds at 1.55:1 and Harris’s at 2.46:1.

Non-profit organization Neposeda is embarking on a daring social experiment to address homelessness in Prague. The initiative proposes a one-time financial gift of CZK 100,000 to 40 individuals experiencing homelessness, testing the theory that a little cash can go a long way in helping people reintegrate into society. Director Jana Hamplová explains that this project aims to uplift participants and save taxpayers a pretty penny on social services.

Historical data suggests that the cost of supporting one homeless individual can exceed CZK 2 million annually—enough to reconsider the status quo of traditional support models. With a carefully selected group based on their past experiences with homelessness and substance use, participants are primed to make the most of this opportunity. If successful, this experiment could spark more compassionate and effective strategies for tackling homelessness across Czechia.

In a plot twist worthy of a Bridgerton, the Supreme Court has ruled that a portion of the opulent furniture from Opočno Castle will return to the Colloredo-Mansfeld family. This decision, issued earlier this week, rejected an appeal from the National Monuments Institute, ending decades of disputes. While the castle remains firmly in state hands, the court determined that the heirs proved their rightful ownership of a treasure trove of items originally confiscated under the controversial Beneš decrees.

Among the valuable contents are thousands of objects that paint a vivid picture of the castle’s storied past, including exquisite paintings, rare hunting trophies, and historic weaponry, all valued at hundreds of millions of crowns. The Colloredo-Mansfeld family’s saga dates back to the 17th century, but the estate’s fate has been a rollercoaster since World War II when it was seized under the Beneš decrees. Although the family briefly reclaimed the castle in 2003, a Constitutional Court intervention returned it to state control just three years later, leaving the heirloom saga far from over.