Czech morning news: Top headlines for Aug. 30, 2022

A two-day informal summit of foreign ministers of the European Union member states will begin today in the Prague Congress Center. They will lead the discussion on Russian aggression against Ukraine and the EU's relations with Africa. On the sidelines of the meeting, an informal lunch will be held on Wednesday with the heads of diplomacy of Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. 

According to information from the Czech News Agency (ČTK) citing high-ranking EU diplomatic sources, the ministers should agree to suspend the agreement facilitating the issuance of visas to Russian tourists.

The Czech economy grew by 3.7 percent year-on-year in the second quarter, up by 0.5 percent compared to the previous quarter. The Czech Statistical Office revised its July estimate. Year-on-year GDP growth was mainly supported by expenditure on gross capital formation.

Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic, seeks the title of the European Capital of Culture in 2028. Its three representatives set off for Prague on bikes today to officially submit the application to the Culture Ministry on Wednesday.

The Brno candidacy's motto is Brno s tebou (Brno with you). In the application for the first round of the contest, the city dealt with the basic requirements formulated by the selection commission and related not only to culture but also to transport, infrastructure, and financial management. On Oct. 14, it will be known whether Brno will advance to the second round.

Barbora Krejčíková became the only Czech tennis player to advance to the second round on the first day of play at this year's US Open. Last year's quarterfinalist defeated Mexican qualifier Fernanda Contreras 6:0, 6:4 in the opening round on the concrete courts in Flushing Meadows. 

There is a need to find a European-wide solution in order to lower energy prices, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told journalists after their two-hour meeting today.

"We have agreed on the need to find a European-wide solution to lower the prices of energy that certainly do not correspond with the costs of its generation, reaching the height that is unacceptable," Fiala said.

Europe must separate gas prices from electricity prices, agreed the leaders. The meeting of energy ministers on Sept. 9 will discuss a proposal to set a cap on the prices of gas used for power generation, said Industry and Trade Minister Jozef Síkela.

The government's National Economic Council (NERV) has proposed several concrete steps to combat rising energy prices, including raising child benefits, reducing taxes for people on low incomes, and increasing pensions more quickly for seniors who now receive below-average pensions. The opposition also agrees with the proposals, and the government will discuss them during the budget debates in September. 

The aim of the measure is to focus aid on the most vulnerable population groups, motivate to reduce energy consumption, make maximum use of already existing tax policy instruments, and limit the impact on the budget. The new measures would cost another billion crowns.

In the coming weeks, the first meeting to create a new European political group will be held in Prague, which will meet regularly to debate Europe's security problems, announced French President Emmanuel Macron. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also mentioned this new group in Prague today and said he supports Macron's idea of ​​creating a "European political community".

Dancer Hana Vláčilová was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the National Theater (ND) today at the opening ceremony of the 140th season. This year's National Theater General Director's Award for artists under the age of 35 was won by the first soloist of the Ballet Irina Burduja, actress Anna Fialová, and opera singer Arnheidur Eiríksdóttir. 

ND recently announced that it would increase entrance fees from September due to year-on-year energy costs increasing up to three times. The prices of drama performances will increase by about 15 percent across the board, while the prices of selected performances for ballet will increase by the same amount. 

A long-nosed potoroo was born for the first time in the Prague Zoo. The tiny marsupial named Krysánek, native to eastern Australia, peeked out of its mother's pouch last week. Visitors can already see it in the exhibition, the zoo informed in a press release today.