The Daily Dozen: 12 things to know about Czechia today

To mark the Independent Czechoslovak State Day, Czech politicians, together with religious and cultural dignitaries, and army representatives, laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Prague’s Vítkov Memorial, Czech Radio reports. Also today, several Czech cities, including Prague, Brno, and Ostrava will see protests against inflation and energy prices.

If you're planning on staying in Prague over the long weekend, here are some tips for what to do and see.

Speaking today, Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová said that personalities such as Czech Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk and Slovak Milan Rastislav Štefánik made the first Czechoslovak Republic a success story, according to Czech Radio. Also today, Slovak politicians and cultural figures laid wreaths at the monument to Czechoslovak statehood in Bratislava and at the statue of Štefánik.

The three flags hanging today on the building of the Ministry of Interior, one of Czechia, one of Ukraine, and one of Russian President Vladimir Putin in a body bag, are a message about the need "to show courage and resilience even in this difficult period, like the founders of Czechoslovakia in 1918," Minister of Interior Vít Rakušan said, ČTK reports. "We know who our friend is, who bleeds for our freedom as well. And we also know who our enemy is, and we will not let him steal the concept of patriotism or ours," Rakušan tweeted.

The number of assaults on ticket inspectors on Czech public transport declined from 68 cases last year to 28 in the first eight months of this year, ČTK reports. "In the past years, marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, these numbers were lower due to the lower number of passengers using public transport," explains Daniel Šabík, the spokesperson for Prague Transport Company (DPP), adding that the least amount of fines were collected in 2020. Last year, DPP collected almost CZK 152 million in fines.

At the opening of a new building of the embassy of South Korea yesterday, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said that Czechia is interested in cooperating with South Korea in research and development of the products with a high value added, such as electromobility, hydrogen technology or nuclear energy, ČTK reports. After China and the U.S., South Korea is the third biggest trade company of the Czech Republic outside Europe.

The daughter of late Ivana Trump and former U.S. President Donald Trump landed in Prague this morning, iDnes reports. Ivanka Trump is in the Czech capital to take care of the inheritance of her late mother, and accept an award honoring Czech-born Ivana Trump from President Miloš Zeman in a ceremony this afternoon.

Vladimír Kruliš, director of the Protocol Department of the Office of the President of the Republic, said he was "pleased and a little surprised" that Ivanka Trump is a "completely normal person, she has no special requirements, she didn't want anything from us at all."

Skyrocketing inflation and electricity prices are forcing two thirds of Czechs to make a conscious effort to consume less gas and electricity, according to an Edenred survey cited by Remix. Almost 40 percent of people are taking part in less cultural and social events, and more than 50 percent are limiting their restaurant visits. However, only 18 percent of respondents said they limited the purchase of alcoholic beverages.

U.S. metal band Manowar will play two dates in Czechia next January, as part of their Crushing the Enemies of Metal Anniversary Tour 2023, iDnes reports. The U.S. metal legends, which formed in 1980, and is known for incorporating fantasy and mythology themes in its lyrics, will be in Pardubice on Jan. 24, 2023 at Enteria Arena, and in Brno on Jan. 26, 2023 at Hala Vodova.

After the acclaimed World War II drama "Shadow country," the Czech filmmaker Bohdan Sláma is now shooting a contemporary drama titled "Drought," which he also wrote, Cineuropa reports. The new production, whose release is scheduled for autumn 2023, deals with "the question of accepting responsibility for the environment" in connection with "the topic of accepting responsibility for interpersonal relationships."

The Czech Republic announced yesterday that it would prolong checks at the border with Slovakia until Dec.12, ČTK reports. The border checks, which were introduced in September to curb illegal migrations, were planned to end today. "This is a measure we are not gladly adopting, but the situation requires it," Prime Minister Petr Fiala said, adding that the checks "must be in force as long as needed."

The former director of the Regional Administration and Road Maintenance of the Central Bohemian Region, Zdenek Dvořák, and Otto Zach, the owner of OZ Stavby, which conducted works in Central Bohemia, are facing scrutiny over contracts for road repairs, Seznam Zprávy reports. Neither the police officers nor the public prosecutor's office in charge of the case released further details about the case.

Andrej Babiš send a second letter this week apologizing to Jana Filipová, who sued the former prime minister for comments that protesters who rallied against him in 2018 were paid, according to Seznam Zprávy. Babiš sent Filipová the first letter of apology a few weeks ago, which also clarified that he didn't not agree with a court's decision ordering him to apologize. The current ruling also required Babiš to pay a fine of CZK 30,000.