Czech news in brief for June 18: Wednesday's top headlines

Hundreds gathered today at Prague’s Orthodox Church of SS Cyril and Methodius to honor seven Czechoslovak paratroopers who killed Nazi official Reinhard Heydrich in 1942. The ceremony marked 83 years since their deaths. Senate Speaker Miloš Vystrčil, Defense Minister Jana Černochová, and General Staff Chief Karel Řehka attended alongside veterans, diplomats, and scouts. After the attack, the paratroopers hid in the church crypt before dying in a final battle or by suicide as the Gestapo closed in.

The Czech Republic is closely monitoring the situation in Iran and has closed its consular section in Tehran, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said this afternoon. He declined to share further details but noted ongoing security concerns. Prague is also considering another repatriation flight from Israel, though plans remain unconfirmed. Several nations have reduced embassy services in Tehran amid escalating tensions from the Israel-Iran conflict that erupted last Friday.

Two boys, aged 14 and 15, were hospitalized Tuesday after collapsing, apparently due to kratom use, police said. The 15-year-old faces possible charges for providing the substance to a minor. Authorities are investigating how he obtained it. Kratom, a psychoactive plant, is legal in the Czech Republic but cannot be given to those under 15. The country is preparing stricter sales rules as concerns over youth access grow. Police seized a container of the substance.

Consumer price inflation in the Czech Republic rose to 2.3 percent in May from 1.7 percent in April, according to Eurostat data released Tuesday. The increase contrasts with the broader EU trend, where inflation slowed to 2.2 percent. Eurostat uses harmonized data to allow comparisons across member states. Month-on-month prices remained stable. In May 2023, Czech inflation stood at 2.8 percent. The rise was among the sharper increases within the EU, where inflation ranged from 0.4 to 5.4 percent.

Police divers on Wednesday recovered the body of a nine-year-old girl who drowned in the Vltava River after falling in Sunday near the Malší confluence. Authorities searched for three days. The girl, who was with a relative, was reported missing two hours after the incident. Police urged the public to respect the family’s privacy. This marks the second river drowning in South Bohemia this week, following an elderly man’s death Sunday in Týn nad Vltavou.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský says Czechia will continue supplying Ukraine with ammunition until 2026, pending post-election support. The program has significantly improved Ukraine’s battlefield position. Backed by 11 countries, the initiative will deliver over 1.8 million rounds this year. Lipavský warned of rising threats from Russia and called for Europe to boost defense spending and ensure security amid weakening U.S. support.

Czech lawmakers are set to hold a no-confidence vote Wednesday against the coalition government, driven by the opposition ANO and SPD. The motion is unlikely to succeed, as the coalition holds a clear majority. The move follows the resignation of Justice Minister Pavel Blažek over a bitcoin scandal. PM Petr Fiala’s cabinet intends to highlight its record during the debate ahead of October’s parliamentary elections.

Opposition Prague 1 officials sparked a row after hoisting a Palestinian flag at a district assembly meeting, defying requests to remove it. Municipal police did not intervene, and the session switched from video to audio-only. Critics say the protest counters previous displays of the Israeli flag at Town Hall. Prague 1 Mayor Terezie Radoměřská called the incident “regrettable.”

Chinese electric carmaker Nio will enter the Czech market in 2026, Auto Wallis Group announced. The company will distribute models including the ET5 sedan, EL6 SUV, and flagship EL8. Nio’s cars feature battery swap capability, with stations to be built across Central Europe. Sales begin in Hungary and Austria in 2025, followed by Czechia, Poland, and Romania. A compact model under the Firefly brand is also planned.

The National Theatre in Prague holds a farewell event today for its New Stage ahead of a two-year, CZK 2.3 billion renovation. The program features performances, tours, and a silent disco. The New Stage, a cultural monument built in the early 1980s, will be upgraded with flexible seating and new facilities. Laterna magika will tour other venues during the reconstruction starting this fall.