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The Senate has approved the ratification of the treaty between Czechia and the Vatican, despite concerns over confidentiality and its provisions. Fifty-two of the seventy-three senators present voted in favour of the treaty, rejecting calls for a preliminary review of its constitutional compliance. To become binding, the treaty still needs approval from the Lower House and the President’s signature.
Thirty-two senators supported a review by the Constitutional Court, but such a request can only be made after the Lower House’s approval, requiring at least seventeen senators to sign.
During his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday, President Petr Pavel called on local leaders to overcome the divisions hindering the country's EU accession. Mr Pavel, who is the first Czech head of state to visit the country in 30 years, met with members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, currently chaired by Serbian member Željka Cvijanović.
The Czech President also plans to meet with representatives of the national parliament and launch a business forum to strengthen economic ties. The visit highlights Czechia’s continued support for Bosnia's European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
The Czech head of state arrived from Montenegro, where he reaffirmed Czech support for its EU accession and stressed the importance of integrating the Western Balkans into the EU.
Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský is due to visit the United States from February 5 to 8, the website Aktualne.cz reported on Thursday. During the trip, aimed at strengthening Czech-American ties, he may meet his new counterpart, Mark Rubio, and President Donald Trump’s envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg.
Mr. Lipavský plans to build personal connections with US officials and discuss shared challenges, including countering authoritarian influences. He expressed optimism about working with Rubio, known for his strong stance on China, Iran, and Cuba.
The visit will include attending the Globsec forum on February 6, offering a chance to engage with both Republican and Democratic leaders on transatlantic cooperation. The Czech delegation of eight members will be finalized soon.
The Senate refused to revoke any of the contentious amendments to the proposal that extends protection for refugees from Ukraine fleeing Russian military aggression. As a result, the amendment will remain in the bill, which will also introduce penalties for unauthorized activities on behalf of a foreign power and impose stricter conditions for Russian individuals applying for Czech citizenship.
The president will sign the law as adopted once the one-month period for the Senate to approve laws has passed. For Lex Ukraine, this deadline expires on January 29.
Opposition ANO MPs have disputed the findings of a parliamentary commission report that concluded there were no faults in the Integrated Rescue System response during last year’s shooting at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University. According to ANO, the report’s conclusion does not align with the actual events or key recommendations.
The report, prepared by ANO members Jiří Mašek and Helena Válková, agrees with recommendations on improving information sharing, police tactics, gun laws, mobile phone tracking, and communication with external agencies. However, they disagree with the commission’s assessment of the Integrated Rescue System’s procedures.
A new Mucha Museum opened on Thursday in the Savarin Palace, a late Baroque building on Prague's Na Příkopech Street. The museum showcases works by Alfons Mucha, including reproductions of pieces from his Slav Epic cycle. This marks the second Mucha museum in Prague, joining the original museum in Kaunický Palace, which opened in 1998.
The exhibition, located on the first floor of the Savarin Palace, features 90 original works and 150 exhibits in total. The museum was curated by Tomoko Sato and designed by architect Eva Jiřičná. Marcus Mucha, the artist's great-grandson, opened the museum and highlighted that the Mucha Foundation’s events worldwide typically attract around half a million visitors annually.
The city of Prague is still negotiating the placement of the Slav Epic in the Savarin palace.
Sparta Prague’s hopes of advancing in the Champions League ended on Wednesday evening with a 0:1 home defeat to Inter Milan in their penultimate group-stage match. Argentine striker Lautaro Martínez scored the only goal in the 12th minute.
This was Sparta’s fifth consecutive loss and sixth game without a win, leaving them with just four points and no chance of qualifying for the play-offs. The team, returning to the Champions League after 19 years, will play their final match next Wednesday against Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.
Friday will be mostly cloudy with brief breaks of sun. Day temperatures will range between 2 to 7°C.
Across Czechia, more and more children are losing access to paediatric care. Described as a “ticking time bomb” by one town’s mayor, the problem stems from both aging doctors and a lack of state support.
According to a forecast from the Institute of Planning and Development, Prague is expected to have 400,000 more residents by 2050. If this projection is underestimated, the result could be a sharp increase in housing prices, as demand would outstrip supply by thousands of units each year. So, what can be done?
Jiří Kluc is a young historian with a profound interest in World War II history and particularly in forgotten war heroes scattered the world over. With time fast running out for the last remaining survivors, he feels compelled to find them and tell their stories to the public. When he visited Radio Prague’s studio we talked about what sparked his interest in history, his mission to record the stories of WWII heroes and where that journey has taken him.
Situated on the Vltava River near the Hlávka Bridge, Štvanice Island, is a lesser-known yet fascinating part of Prague. With a rich history spanning centuries and modern activities like river surfing, the island seamlessly combines tradition and contemporary recreation.
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