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Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has called on his Slovak counterpart, Robert Fico, to stop blocking the EU’s 18th package of sanctions against Russia.
In a letter quoted by the Czech News Agency, Fiala stressed the need for unity in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine. Slovakia has made its support conditional on guarantees over future gas supplies, as the EU plans to phase out Russian gas by 2027.
Bratislava wants an agreement with the European Commission by Tuesday. Without it, Slovakia may continue to withhold support, delaying the sanctions package, which requires unanimous approval.
Fiala warned that Slovakia risks isolating itself within the EU. The vote has already been postponed several times.
A team of 16 Czech firefighters from the USAR unit left for Texas on Sunday to help search for people missing after devastating floods. According to fire service spokesperson Klára Ochmanová, they are the only foreign team invited to assist.
The five-to-seven-day mission is part of a bilateral agreement between the Czech Embassy in the US and the Texas National Guard.
The Czech team will carry out specialized search operations in the worst-affected areas. Among them are dog handlers with trained rescue dogs, along with other technical experts.
Their exact assignments will be confirmed after arrival, based on local needs.
The opposition ANO party would win upcoming parliamentary elections with 30.9% of the vote, according to the latest STEM poll for CNN Prima News.
The coalition of Civic Democrats, TOP 09, and Christian Democrats has 19.9% support—down 0.6 points from last week. The Mayors and Independents climbed to 13.2%, overtaking Freedom and Direct Democracy, which fell to 12.4%.
The Pirates and the Enough coalition, which includes Communists, are also projected to enter parliament. The Motorists remain below the 5% threshold needed for seats.
The election is scheduled for October 3 and 4.
The main prize at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival went to the Czech-Slovak documentary Better Go Mad in the Wild by Slovak director Miro Remo, which follows the lives of two peculiar men in their sixties in the forests of the Šumava mountains. It is the first time in eight years that the Crystal Globe has been awarded to a Czech film.
The Special Jury Prize was presented to the Iranian drama Bidad by Soheil Beiraghi, while the Best Director Award was shared by Nathan Ambrosioni (Out of Love) and Vytautas Katkus (The Visitor). Pia Tjelta took home Best Actress for Don’t Call Me Mama, and Àlex Brendemühl won Best Actor for When a River Becomes the Sea. A Special Mention was given to rising Czech star Kateřina Falbrová for Broken Voices.
In the Proxima competition, the Grand Prix went to Sand City by Mahde Hasan (Bangladesh).
Over 200 people protested on Saturday near Pačejov in the Klatovy region, in the southwest of Czechia, against a planned deep nuclear waste repository.
In a follow-up discussion, representatives of ten municipalities in the Březový Potok area of Šumava vowed to resist the project until at least 2030, when the government is set to pick a final site from four candidates.
Locals urged the state to stop the process and explore alternatives. The Březový Potok community, with 10,000 residents and thousands of visitors, has opposed the plan for 22 years and demands stronger municipal rights in a decision now made solely by the government.
The CZK 100 billion facility, required by EU rules by 2050, would store thousands of tons of spent nuclear fuel half a kilometre underground.
Last year, the Environment Ministry approved geological surveys at all four sites. In May, Březový Potok filed a lawsuit against the ministry.
Czech high jumper Jan Štefela has earned his first-ever medal in the Diamond League. At Saturday’s event in Monaco, he finished second with a jump of 2.32 meters, just behind Korea’s indoor world champion Woo Sang-hyeok, who cleared 2.34 meters to stay unbeaten this season.
Štefela secured the medal by clearing 2.30 meters on his second attempt, then followed up by easily sailing over 2.32 meters on his first try, just one centimeter shy of his recent personal best from the European Team Championships.
Until now, Štefela’s best result in the elite series was fourth place in London last year, and he had never cleared more than 2.22 meters in a Diamond League competition.
Monday will be mostly sunny, with storms in the southwest later in the day. Skies will clear in the evening. Temperatures will reach up to 30 °C, and 32 °C in southern Moravia.
Known for his deep musical insight, commanding presence on the podium and passionate advocacy for Czech repertoire Jakub Hrůša is undeniably the most sought-after Czech conductor in the world today.
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