Czech news in brief for September 4: Thursday's top headlines

Inflation in the Czech Republic eased to 2.5 percent year-on-year in August, down from 2.7 percent in July, according to a preliminary estimate by the Czech Statistical Office. Consumer prices rose 0.1 percent month-on-month. Analysts warn that rising service costs remain a concern, despite easing overall inflation. Energy prices dropped 4.4 percent year-on-year, but without them, inflation would reach 3.5 percent. Food, alcohol, and tobacco rose 4 percent.

The average old-age pension in the Czech Republic will increase by CZK 668 from January, reaching CZK 21,839, Labor Minister Marian Jurečka has announced. All old-age, disability, and survivor’s pensions will rise by CZK 240, with a 2.6 percent boost to merit-based portions. Early retirees under full retirement age will see a CZK 240 increase, without merit adjustments. The government will soon approve the regulation. Pensions have risen 28 percent under the current administration.

Czech journalists facing aggression or attacks can now report incidents and access legal or psychological help through a new site, bezpecnazurnalistika.cz, launched by the Czech Committee of the International Press Institute. The project, presented Tuesday, offers pro bono lawyer services and police-led workshops on handling attacks. An Ipsos survey found over a third of journalists experience monthly harassment, and many seek support. The initiative draws inspiration from Slovakia’s Ján Kuciak Investigative Center.

Czech President Petr Pavel offered condolences to his Portuguese counterpart, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, following Wednesday’s funicular accident in Lisbon that killed 17. Over 20 others remain hospitalized, at least five in serious condition. Portuguese authorities said foreigners are among the dead. Czech Foreign Ministry spokesman Daniel Drake said no Czech citizens are known to be among the injured. Portugal has declared a day of national mourning.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told the Prague Defence Summit that Russia remains a destabilizing force in Europe and globally, prompting NATO to prioritize stronger defence and faster production. He warned that Russia and China are modernizing militaries to exert influence and challenge democracy. Europe needs greater military capacity, as Russia devotes 40 percent of its budget to war. NATO members have committed to raising defence spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2035, with 3.5 percent for “hard defence” and 1.5 percent for infrastructure.

Prime Minister Petr Fiala urged voters Wednesday to back his Spolu coalition, warning that a government led by ANO, Stačilo! or SPD would endanger the country. Speaking at a Prague campaign rally, Fiala said he was “worried for the first time since November 1989.” About 200 people attended, including pro-Palestinian protesters who disrupted the event, underscoring sharp divisions ahead of October’s parliamentary elections.

Czech wages rose 7.8 percent year-on-year in the second quarter, or 5.3 percent in real terms, outpacing market expectations and pushing net wages to a record after tax changes, analysts said Wednesday. But they warned growth favors higher earners, widening income gaps between regions and social groups. While wage gains are expected to slow later this year, economists say rising pay will continue to support household spending and economic growth.

The Czech government on Wednesday approved the purchase of 44 German-made Leopard 2A8 tanks, with deliveries scheduled between 2028 and 2031. The deal, worth CZK 34.25 billion (USD 1.5 billion) including training and support, is part of Prague’s joint procurement with Germany. The Defense Ministry also signed contracts for small arms from Česká zbrojovka and 18 British Supacat armored vehicles for special forces. The tanks will replace aging Soviet-made T-72s.

The Czech Sokol Community launched a petition Wednesday to have the All-Sokol Festival inscribed on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage. Presented on Prague’s Střelecký Island, where the first festival took place in 1882, the petition runs until Oct. 30. Organizers say the mass gymnastic gatherings embody democratic and patriotic ideals. Recent festivals have drawn tens of thousands of Sokols and over 100,000 visitors from the Czech Republic and abroad.

The first Slavs originated between today’s southern Belarus and central Ukraine, according to DNA analysis of more than 550 skeletal samples from the sixth to eighth centuries. Researchers from Masaryk University and international partners said the findings, published Wednesday in Nature and Genome Biology, show large-scale Slavic migration reshaped Central and Eastern Europe’s genetic makeup. Scientists noted the migrants built family-based societies rather than conquering new territories.

More than half of Czech ice cream and drink ice samples failed hygiene tests this summer, the State Agricultural and Food Inspection Authority said Wednesday. Out of 146 ice cream samples, 67 exceeded bacterial limits, with vanilla the most affected flavor. Thirty of 53 drink ice samples also failed. Inspectors cited poor sanitation and training. Faulty equipment was shut down, with fines and further inspections pending.