News: Saturday, July 6th, 2024

Dutch far-right Wilders to join Babiš and Orban's new EP political alliance

Dutch politician Geert Wilders' far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) is set to join the new political alliance Patriots for Europe in the European Parliament (EP), recently formed by right-wing parties from Czechia, Hungary and Austria: Andrej Babišs' ANO party, Viktor Orban's Fidesz party, and the right-wing populist Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ). In a post on social media site X, Wilders announced the move, wrote that he rejected "illegal migration" and expressed support for Ukraine.

The formation of the Patriots for Europe alliance was announced in Vienna last week by Orban, Babiš, and FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl. Between them, the three founding parties have the minimum number of 23 MEPs required to establish a political group in the European Parliament, but they still need parties from at least four other countries to join them, as the prerequisite also stipulates that an alliance must have MEPs from at least seven EU member states in order to register as an officially recognised parliamentary group.

In addition to Wilders' party, which has six seats in the European Parliament, the far-right Portuguese Chega party and the Spanish Vox party have also said they will join, meaning Patriots for Europe have so far secured MEPs from six countries out of the required seven.

President Pavel congratulates Keir Starmer on UK election victory

President Petr Pavel has joined the Czech head of government Petr Fiala in congratulating Labour leader Keir Starmer on becoming the new UK prime minister. On social media site X on Friday evening, the Czech president said that their two countries were like-minded on many issues and that he looked forward to further advancing bilateral cooperation and enhancing security in Europe and beyond, starting next week at the NATO summit in Washington.

The UK parliamentary elections took place on Thursday, with the Labour landslide victory announced on Friday after 14 years of Conservative rule.

Legacy of Jan Hus commemorated in Prague and Husinec

The legacy of Jan Hus was commemorated on Saturday with church services in Prague's Bethlehem Chapel and the South Bohemian town of Husinec. Roughly 100 people attended the ecumenical service in Husinec, where the priest and church reformer was born around 1370. The town's mayor said that more people are expected to attend next year when it will be 610 years since Hus was burned at the stake. July 6 has been a public holiday in the Czech calendar since 1990.

Krejčíková advances to Wimbledon round of 16

Czech tennis player Barbora Krejčíková has advanced to the round of 16 at Wimbledon for the second time in her career. She won against Spain's Jessica Bouzas 6-0, 4-3 on Saturday after the Spaniard dropped out due to a back injury. Krejčíková will next play either the American Danielle Collins or the Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia for a place in the quarterfinals.

In the women's doubles, Krejčíková's former partner Kateřina Siniaková and the American Taylor Townsend beat France's Elixane Lechemia and the Australian Olivia Gadecki 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 in the second round on Saturday after resuming play. The match was suspended on Friday in the first set due to bad weather.

Czech women's volleyball team through to Challenger Cup final

The Czech team beat Vietnam 3:0 at the Women's Volleyball Challenger Cup in Manila, the Philippines on Saturday. The highest-scoring player was Gabriela Orvošová with 16 points.

The Czechs are now in the final of the qualifying tournament for the Nations League. They will be playing Puerto Rico at 12:30 CEST on Sunday for a chance at promotion to the elite women's volleyball league.

Saturday evening storm warning expanded to whole of Bohemia and Vysočina

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has expanded its storm warning for Saturday evening to the whole of Bohemia and Vysočina in addition to south Moravia. The heaviest storms are expected to hit southern Bohemia, with wind speeds of up to 90 km/h.

A high-temperature warning is also in force for South Moravia, Prague, most of central Bohemia and parts of surrounding regions to the north and east, where temperatures are predicted to rise above 31 degrees Celsius on Saturday. The Hydrometeorological Institute advises people to drink lots of fluids, limit outdoor afternoon activities, and not to leave children and pets in direct sunlight, especially in parked cars.

Weather forecast

Sunday is expected to see more rain and grey skies, with daytime temperatures of around 19 degrees Celsius.