Czech news in brief for September 20: Saturday's top headlines

About 30 people protested animal exploitation Saturday on Wenceslas Square in Prague, urging veganism. Six activists lay in cardboard boxes covered in red paint to depict slaughtered animals, while others showed videos of farming practices and held signs like “Taste is not worth a life.” Organizers from Animal Save Česko said the event aimed to highlight the suffering behind meat, dairy, cosmetics testing, and zoo visits.

Czechia is expected to enjoy its final fully summer-like weekend of the year, with temperatures drawing people outdoors, including to forests for mushroom picking. Meteorologists say current conditions are favorable across the country, except in southern Moravia. Experts note local factors—soil type, forest cover, and shade—affect actual finds, while growth peaks about ten days after heavy rain followed by warm, not hot, weather.

More than 31,000 people have registered as bone marrow donors in Czechia this year, up from nearly 13,000 in 2024, registry officials said Saturday. Doctors can now select from over 200,000 potential donors for patients in need, both domestically and abroad. Registrations are open in cities including Kladno, Ricany, and Ostrava during NATO Days. Younger donors are preferred for higher transplant success rates.

A 58-year-old Czech man and his 13-year-old son were rescued Friday in the High Tatras after the father suffered a likely ankle fracture. Mountain rescuers deployed a helicopter and stretcher transport to evacuate the injured man to Starý Smokovec, then to a hospital in Poprad. The son was escorted to relatives. Earlier the same day, rescuers aided a 54-year-old Czech woman with a similar ankle injury.

Czech PM Petr Fiala called for stronger national defense Thursday after three Russian MiG-31 jets violated Estonian airspace in a 12-minute incursion. He said the move shows Moscow’s aggression and warned voters not to trust opposition parties minimizing the threat. Estonia and the EU condemned the incident as a dangerous provocation amid rising tensions on NATO’s eastern border ahead of Czech elections.

Prague Zoo announced the birth of four capybara cubs Thursday, the first since the zoo resumed breeding the world’s largest rodent in 2023 after a decade-long pause. The young animals can already be viewed with their mother and siblings. Due to high demand from other zoos, the cubs were reserved for future transfers even before birth, with relocation planned no earlier than next year.

Former president Miloš Zeman said Thursday he will vote for the new left-wing Enough! party in the Oct. 3–4 parliamentary elections, praising it for uniting leftist forces. Enough! leader and MEP Kateřina Konečná welcomed the endorsement as recognition of the party’s stance on current political issues. Zeman previously backed ANO in 2021 but said he hopes Enough! succeeds as Social Democrats remain weakened.

The two-day NATO Days and Czech Air Force Days started Saturday at Mošnov Airport in Ostrava, featuring nine Red Arrows jets, U.S. B-52H bomber flyovers, and displays from 16 countries, including Italy’s Harrier jets and Ariete tank. Visitors can watch three aerobatic teams—Red Arrows, Turkish Stars, and Krila Oluje—and RAF Falcons parachutists. Admission is free, but organizers warn of traffic congestion.

Excalibur Army opened a CZK 500 million hall in Šternberk Thursday to assemble howitzers, tanks and other military vehicles, boosting production capacity and jobs. The armaments firm, part of the Czechoslovak Group, also signed a memorandum with Germany’s KNDS to service Leopard 2 tanks, including the 44 units recently ordered by Czechia. Defence officials hailed the project as key to national security and export growth.

Olomouc Archbishop Josef Nuzík formally rehabilitated Šumperk Dean Kryštof Alois Lautner on the 340th anniversary of his execution, declaring his 1685 church demotion null and void. Lautner was burned after opposing witch trials that killed about 100 people in Moravia. Nuzík apologized for the church’s role and asked forgiveness for past injustices, calling the original sentence based on false, tortured confessions.

Czech police proposed charges against former MP Marek Šnajdr, businessman Pavel Dovhomilja and ex-VZP deputy head Tomáš Knížek over alleged bribery tied to the state health insurer, Seznam Zprávy reported Thursday. The case is linked to the Dosimeter corruption probe at Prague’s transport company. Šnajdr’s lawyer denied prior notice and criticized leaks. Prosecutors will decide on the indictment as the DPP trial begins Sept. 22.