Czech news in brief for October 1: Wednesday's top headlines

The movement of Emil the moose, who traveled through several countries this summer and is now in the Šumava Mountains on the Czech–German border, is no longer monitored. His GPS locator battery has run out, the Šumava National Park has confirmed. Emil, in recent months, has traveled over 500 kilometers through Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Conservationists relocated him to Lipno Dam to prevent highway crossing after putting him to sleep. He was last seen near Stožec (South Bohemia) and Bavaria, with future sightings now relying on public reports.

Police closed Vysocanská Street, which connects the Prague districts of Prosek and Vysočany, for about an hour Wednesady afternoon after a mine was discovered nearby, police reported on the X network. Traffic in both directions was blocked before noon, and public transport buses were diverted. A police spokesman said the mine, found in undergrowth near a bus stop, was “delaborated,” meaning non-functional. Finds of ammunition are relatively common in Czechia: last week, more than 750 kilos of ammunition from the interwar period were found near a shooting range in Olomouc.

Influenza and its complications cause about 1 percent of all annual deaths in Czechia, more than traffic accidents, doctors said at a press conference Wednesday. Seniors make up over three-quarters of flu-related deaths, often suffering worsened chronic illnesses without classic symptoms, leading to hospitalization. Last season, over 2.25 million people visited GPs for respiratory infections, with children most affected. The Ministry of Health reported flu results in over 100,000 work absences yearly, averaging 13 days.

Blazena Strachotová, formerly the oldest citizen of the Czech Republic, has died at age 108. She had been living in the České Budějovice region. Born in 1917 in Slavičín, Zlín, she worked most of her life manually, including as a butcher and sausage seller. České Budějovice Mayor Dagmar Škodová Parmová described her as optimistic and charming. Statistics from the Czech Social Security Administration show there were 1,078 centenarians in June, mostly women, with Prague having the highest number at 200.

 Czech health trade unions issued a strike alert today, protesting a draft decree on healthcare financial coverage for 2026 and demanding a 10 percent salary increase for the health sector. The unions’ negotiations with the Health Ministry ended prematurely after Minister Vlastimil Válek skipped the meeting for an election rally. Ondřej Jakob, Health Ministry spokesman, said negotiations remain open. The unions called for changes to ensure quality care for patients.

Czech President Petr Pavel called on citizens to participate in this week’s parliamentary elections, warning against abstention and false fraud claims. He stressed that democracy relies on voter turnout and dismissed suggestions the vote could alter the system. Pavel highlighted national security challenges, citing Russia’s aggression and NATO ties, and pledged to respect the results while seeking a stable, competent government.

The Czech government has barred holders of Russian diplomatic and service passports from entering the country, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský announced. The measure, applied at airports, excludes accredited diplomats and those transiting. Moscow called the move “crazy,” while Prague cited abuse of diplomatic privileges for espionage. The step comes as EU states weigh tighter controls on Russian diplomats’ travel within the bloc.

German outlets warned Czechia could turn away from its pro-Western stance if opposition leader Andrej Babiš and his ANO party win this week’s elections. Commentaries said potential alliances with pro-Russian extremists would trouble the EU and Ukraine, threatening Czech support for Kyiv. Papers compared Babiš to Donald Trump and Viktor Orbán, portraying him as a populist whose pragmatism could reshape Prague’s foreign policy.

Prague Zoo Director Miroslav Bobek will resign Oct. 31 after facing accusations of bullying staff, city councilor Jana Komrsková said. Bobek, who has led the zoo since 2010, denied the claims but agreed to step down to allow a smooth transition. A competition will be held for his successor. The NGO Konsent has been asked to investigate workplace conditions at the zoo.

Archaeologists uncovered a 7,000-year-old circular structure, or roundel, in Hradec Králové, East Bohemia, making it the second discovered in the city’s Kukleny district. Dating to the Neolithic, the 90-meter structure likely served ritual, social, and possibly astronomical purposes. The find underscores the region’s significance as a settlement hub and raises preservation concerns as planned urban development threatens the site’s future.