Czech news in brief for July 30: Wednesday's top headlines

Five discarded ambulances donated by the Liberec region will help transport patients and wounded soldiers in Ukraine, Mikuláš Kroupa, head of the Post Bellum charity, said today. The Mercedes vehicles were handed over today and will be sent to areas including Kherson, where Russian attacks have targeted ambulances. Kroupa said the vehicles are vital, as civilians have been using private cars to move the wounded amid ongoing shelling and frequent missiles.

The Czech economy grew 2.4 percent year-on-year in the second quarter, matching first-quarter growth, the Czech Statistical Office said Wednesday. Quarter-on-quarter GDP rose 0.2 percent, driven mainly by household consumption. Analysts noted the growth was slightly below market expectations. Employment also rose compared to last year and the previous quarter. The industry and services sectors contributed the most to gross value added, while foreign trade had a negative impact on quarterly performance, officials said.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said Wednesday that recognizing the State of Palestine is unproductive while Gaza remains under Hamas control. Speaking at Černín Palace, he stressed that such recognition should follow mutual agreement. Although the Czech Republic supports a two-state solution, Lipavský urged focus on ending Hamas rule and addressing Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. His remarks followed renewed international calls for Palestinian state recognition.

A group of Brno companies has won a CZK 65 million contract from the European Space Agency. The firms will build a device for a space probe going to Venus in 2031 that will study the planet’s thick atmosphere to help scientists understand how it became so different from Earth. The instrument will also feature an image of the Venus of Věstonice statue to mark 100 years since its discovery. The project is being done with support from NASA and other organizations.

A police officer shot and killed a knife-wielding man in Ivančice near Brno early Wednesday after the attacker injured three people, including a paramedic and a police officer, authorities said on X. The man assaulted a family member and emergency responders before turning on police. One officer was injured, prompting the other to fire. The attacker died at the scene. Regional police and the General Inspectorate are investigating the incident for now.

Czech President Petr Pavel and Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský reaffirmed support for Israel’s right to self-defense Wednesday, while stressing the need to address Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. Following their meeting, the Presidential Office said Czech aid to Gaza should continue and urged a two-state solution. They emphasized ending violence, releasing hostages, and strengthening EU involvement. “Civilians must not be used as hostages by either side in the conflict,” the statement said.

A total of 28 parties, coalitions, and movements registered for the Czech Republic’s Oct. 3–4 parliamentary elections, six more than in 2021. According to the Interior Ministry, parties can fix candidate list errors until Aug. 6. Voters in Prague will have the widest choice, with 26 lists, while Vysočina will have the fewest, at 19. Major parties are joined by newcomers like Volt Česko and Vision 2025.

Toyota will begin producing electric vehicles in its Kolín factory in the Czech Republic in 2028, Japanese daily Nikkei reports. The plant is expected to manufacture around 100,000 electric SUVs annually, marking Toyota’s first European EV production. The factory, which already builds Aygo X and Yaris models, employs over 3,200 people and increased output by 17 percent in 2024, producing over 225,000 vehicles.

Police found two dead bodies, a man and woman, in the Albertov district of Prague Tuesday morning near the stairs by Charles University’s 1st Faculty of Medicine. Preliminary findings show no signs of foul play, and forensic experts will determine the cause of death via autopsy. Police are working to identify the individuals, who are believed to be homeless, according to reports by Novinky.cz.

A Colombian man sentenced in Prague to 8 years for setting fire to city bus depots has also been charged in Poland with terrorism for arson attacks on warehouses in Warsaw and Radom. Polish authorities say he acted on orders from Russian intelligence. The 27-year-old allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at targets after being recruited via Telegram. Similar sabotage cases have been reported across Central and Eastern Europe.

Franz, a new film by Agnieszka Hollandová about Franz Kafka, will compete in the main selection at the 73rd San Sebastián Film Festival in September following its world premiere in Toronto. Starring Idan Weiss and Jenovéfa Boková, the Czech-German-Polish co-production opens in Czech cinemas Sept. 25. The film explores Kafka’s life from birth to death and features Czech actors Ivan and Josef Trojan, Jan Budař, and others.