Czech news in brief for July 28: Monday's top headlines

Police detained 52 people during transit migration in the first half of 2024, a 63 percent drop from 139 in the same period last year, Foreigners Police spokesman Josef Urban said Monday. Despite fewer detentions, the number of illegal residents slightly increased to 4,882. The decline is linked to stricter border measures and cooperation along the Western Balkan route. Most migrants, mainly from Syria, Russia, and Turkey, pass through Czechia en route to Germany.

Czechia is lagging in its 2030 innovation leadership goal despite investing nearly CZK 30 billion in research and development from 2021 to 2023, the Supreme Audit Office reported this afternoon. An audit of the Czech Science Foundation and Technology Agency found the country remains a "moderate innovator" compared to other EU nations. The agencies responded, saying the audit overlooked external factors and denied cooperation issues. For example, the office reports that the number of patents in the Czech Republic has been declining since 2019. 

Apartment and rent prices in the Czech Republic rose in the second quarter amid higher demand and falling mortgage rates, analysis from real estate platform Bezrealitky.cz showed Monday. Older apartments averaged CZK 108,486 per square meter; Prague units rose 5 percent to CZK 146,653. The sharpest increases, 9 percent, were in the Liberec and Hradec Králové regions. Only the Zlín area saw a drop. Demand for affordable and recreational housing continues to drive regional price shifts.

Prague City Hall raised a rainbow flag Monday morning to mark the start of the 15th annual Prague Pride festival celebrating the LGBT+ community. Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda, Deputy Mayor Zdeněk Hřib and councilor Adam Zábranský took part in the ceremony. The week-long festival features over 180 events, including debates, performances and sports, across eight venues. The official opening takes place at 5 p.m. on Střelecký Island, the festival’s central hub.

Police halted traffic and evacuated the Prague Municipal Court on Spálená Street for 90 minutes Monday morning after an anonymous bomb threat. Authorities responded to the call by clearing the building and canceling all morning court sessions, spokeswoman Barbora Bílková said. Traffic resumed by 10 a.m., and the court is set to reopen to the public at 10:30 a.m., according to a judicial guard. No explosives were found, police said.

Czech leaders called new 15 percent EU-US import tariffs a “manageable compromise,” after tough negotiations between EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen and U.S. President Donald Trump. The deal averts a deeper trade conflict. Though not ideal, Czech officials said it protects exporters. Analysts warned of a minor GDP impact and possible inflation. Czech exports to the U.S. rose nearly 19 percent last year.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute said streams in the Beskydy Mountains reached first-stage flood activity amid ongoing heavy rainfall. Up to 110 mm of rain is forecast through Monday, with extreme precipitation in Frýdek-Místek, Třinec, and Jablunkov. Český Těšín and Frenštát may see 80 mm. Authorities warn that other rivers may soon breach flood thresholds as rain continues overnight.

The Czech Republic joined 40 other OSCE states in backing an independent investigation into Russia’s alleged torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war. The move activates the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism. A March UN report found 95 percent of released Ukrainian POWs had been tortured. The European Court of Human Rights recently ruled Russia guilty of multiple war crimes against Ukrainian civilians and soldiers.

Bloomberg reported that Czech automaker Škoda earned more than luxury brand Porsche in Q2, calling it a “reversal” in the auto world. Škoda posted a record €739M operating profit with a 9.5 percent margin, while Porsche made €154M with just 1.9 percent. U.S. tariffs and Chinese competition have weakened Porsche. Škoda’s success helped cushion parent company Volkswagen, which downgraded its annual outlook.

The 15th annual Prague Pride festival begins today, offering over 180 events under the theme “Where is my home?” Celebrating LGBT+ life in Czechia, the week-long program includes debates, concerts, and workshops. The main rainbow parade will march through the city on Saturday, culminating with performances at Letná. The city supports the event, now widely embraced after initial protests when it launched in 2011.