Czech news in brief for July 20: Sunday’s top headlines

Sunday will bring strong summer heat across most of Czechia, with highs from 27 to 31 degrees Celsius. A cold front will move in Monday, bringing rain and sharp cooling to western Bohemia, where temperatures may drop to 20 degrees. In contrast, eastern regions will see highs up to 35 degrees Celsius. Meteorologists warn of possible strong storms in Moravia and Silesia Monday afternoon.

Prague’s population could rise to 1.67 million by 2050, driven mainly by migration, according to analysis from the Prague Institute of Planning and Development. The city expects increases in children and seniors, straining already limited spaces in schools and elder care. Without investment, kindergartens could lack 16,700 places and senior homes one bed per 26 people aged 80+. The number of births may rise to 17,000 annually due to young families moving in.

Andrej Babiš and Tomio Okamura have suggested the 2025 Czech elections could be manipulated by the ruling coalition, citing concerns over mail-in voting. More than half of Czechs share fears of electoral fraud, according to a February STEM poll. Experts warn such claims undermine trust in democracy. The Interior Ministry says the decentralized voting process prevents any centralized manipulation of results.

Top seed Linda Nosková will face a qualifier in her opening match at the Livesport Prague Open, organizers announced Saturday. Kateřina Siniaková will play Romania’s Gabriela Ruse, while former champion Marie Bouzková also draws a qualifier. Wild card Laura Samson meets Dominika Šalková. The WTA tournament begins Monday, with finals set for July 26. Nosková reached the Prague final in 2022 and last week made Wimbledon’s round of 16.

About 900 fans of the video game Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 arrived Saturday at Trosky Castle for the first day of a two-day medieval-themed event without incident, officials said. The ruined fortress, featured in the game, is hosting reenactments, costumed characters, and interactive exhibits. Police monitored traffic and parking. Interest in the site has surged since the game’s release, helping boost attendance to a 10-year high, according to the castle’s curator.

Czech insurers report a significant decline in natural disaster claims during the first half of 2025. Generali recorded a 40 percent year-on-year drop in cases, driven mainly by hailstorms, while damage from wind and floods decreased. Kooperativa also saw fewer incidents but higher overall payouts. According to ČSOB, summer remains the riskiest period, with extreme events like the 2021 tornado and last year’s floods shaping long-term trends.

At their party congress in Olomouc, the Motorists party rejected tax increases for workers and entrepreneurs and opposed reviving electronic sales reporting (EET). The party plans to raise the VAT registration threshold and ease rules for small businesses. Leaders also proposed ending subsidies, cutting public jobs, and scrapping education inclusion programs. Polls show support for the party slipping below 5 percent ahead of the fall parliamentary election.