Czech news in brief for July 17: Thursday's top headlines

Consumer prices in the Czech Republic rose 2.8 percent year-on-year in June, up from 2.3 percent in May and above the EU average of 2.3 percent, Eurostat reported Friday. The Czech increase outpaced both the eurozone’s 2.0 percent and the EU’s overall inflation, reflecting faster price growth. Harmonized data were used for comparison. A year ago, Czech inflation stood at 2.2 percent. Month-on-month, prices across the EU and eurozone climbed 0.3 percent in June, according to Eurostat.

 The Czech Republic netted CZK 24 billion more from the EU than it paid in during the first half of 2025, the Finance Ministry said Thursday. The surplus stemmed mostly from structural and agricultural funds, which brought in CZK 55.5 billion in total revenues. Although payments from the EU Recovery Plan dropped sharply, the government expects further funding later this year to support modernization and digitization.

Police temporarily closed part of Václav Havel Airport’s Terminal 2 on Thursday afternoon after an unclaimed bag triggered a security alert at the central checkpoint. Bomb experts responded, and the area was evacuated as a precaution. The bag had set off an X-ray alarm, and its owner could not be located. Authorities later confirmed the item was harmless, and normal operations resumed around 4 p.m. Airport officials said the response followed standard security protocol.

The Czech Foreign Ministry has acquired an art collection once owned by former Czechoslovak diplomat Jan Masaryk, officials announced Thursday. The 30-piece collection, originally displayed in Masaryk’s London apartment, was donated by the family of his secretary Lumír Soukup. It includes a painting by Oskar Kokoschka, a Masaryk associate. The works will undergo restoration before being exhibited this fall at the Tuscany Palace, one of the ministry’s Prague residences.

Police evacuated Prague 1 District Office and briefly closed part of Vodičkova Street on Thursday due to a suspicious bag. A bomb squad determined the item contained only personal belongings, and no threat was found. Several tram lines were rerouted for about 30 minutes. Firefighters and emergency services were present, and the area has since reopened, police said on X.

Czech Pirate Party leaders on Wednesday warned that cuts to mental health funding could cost the state billions in the long term. They criticized reduced Education Ministry subsidies and proposed a plan to expand access to care, including more school psychologists, crisis lines, and legislative reforms. Vice-chair Olga Richterová noted that most schools lack mental health staff, and children face months-long waits for care.

A Prague appeals court on Thursday upheld an eight-month prison sentence for Patrik Born, who spread a false message last December about an armed man planning an attack at Charles University's Faculty of Law. The court cited the seriousness of the hoax, committed near the anniversary of the Dec. 2023 campus shooting. Born, already on probation for prior offenses, must also pay CZK 3,000 in damages.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský on Thursday awarded Polish historian and former dissident Adam Michnik the Gratias Agit Award for promoting the Czech Republic’s good name abroad. The ceremony at Prague’s Černín Palace recognized Michnik’s support for Czechoslovak dissidents before 1989 and his lifelong advocacy for democracy. Other awardees include Czech polar researcher Josef Elster and U.S. General Daryl Bohac.

Defence Minister Jan Černochová and Prime Minister Petr Fiala condemned opposition leader Andrej Babiš’s proposal to abolish the Czech ammunition initiative supplying Ukraine. They warned that ending the program would harm the Czech Republic’s security and international reputation. Babiš criticized the initiative as overpriced and non-transparent. Officials defended it, citing its success in delivering 1.5 million rounds to Ukraine and support from allied countries.

Slovakia will block the EU’s 18th sanctions package against Russia until it receives guarantees on future gas supplies, Prime Minister Robert Fico said Tuesday. The country is seeking further talks with the European Commission and has requested a postponement of the vote. Slovakia fears negative impacts from the EU’s plan to phase out Russian gas imports.

The Czech Defence Ministry will buy 14,600 Ops-Core ballistic helmets with accessories for CZK 1.54 billion (excluding VAT) through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, it said Tuesday. The helmets, to be delivered by November 2026, will enhance protection, mobility, and communication for troops. Accessories make up 73 percent of the cost and include visors, respirators, and advanced comms systems.

The Czech health care system is unsustainable without urgent reform, experts from the Platform for Sustainable Health said Tuesday. Without changes, the health insurance system's deficit—12.7 billion crowns this year—could double annually. Experts propose efficiency reforms, depoliticizing insurance company management, boosting competition, and using quality data. The platform urges better organization, mandatory e-health records, and tying insurance to preventive care to avoid collapse.

Fans of the computer game Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 will gather at Trosky Castle ruins in Bohemian Paradise this weekend for the Pod praporem Bergowa medieval-themed event. Saturday is sold out, with Sunday tickets still available. The castle will feature medieval camps, combat demos, and period kitchens. Police will monitor traffic due to increased visitor numbers, and extra parking is arranged. Dogs and replica weapons are prohibited.