Czech news in brief for October 14: Tuesday’s top afternoon headlines

Ten people have died from hepatitis A in Prague this year, the city’s Public Health Office said Tuesday. Authorities have recorded 826 cases so far, including 147 in children. Nationwide, 21 people have died of the disease this year, up from two in 2023, according to the National Institute of Public Health. Officials said most fatalities involved people with risky behavior or chronic liver disease. This year’s outbreak is Czechia’s worst since 1996.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has opened its Central and Eastern Europe office in Prague to expand efforts against disinformation and support journalists at risk. RSF director Thibaut Bruttin announced the move during the Forum 2000 conference. The new office, led by Pavol Szalai, is located in the Czech News Agency building on Opletalova Street in Prague 1. RSF said Prague’s democratic tradition and strategic location make it an ideal base for defending press freedom in the region.

Compulsory military service is not needed in Czechia, President Petr Pavel told the media this afternoon. He said voluntary programs can replace conscription and offer citizens ways to contribute through training and modern technology skills. Pavel added the country is not ready for a draft but must take security seriously. He also fielded questions about artificial intelligence in schools and said he has not yet decided whether to seek reelection.

The International Monetary Fund has raised its forecast for Czech economic growth to 2.3 percent this year and 2 percent in 2026, citing improved global conditions. In April, the IMF expected 1.6 percent growth for 2025. The Czech Ministry of Finance projects similar gains. The IMF sees unemployment edging down to 2.5 percent and inflation easing to 2.3 percent next year. Among Visegrad countries, only Poland will grow faster, with 3.2 percent expansion forecast for 2025.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty will continue its legal battle for U.S. funding “as long as it has to,” director Stephen Capus said at the Forum 2000 conference in the Czech capital. A Washington court recently ordered U.S. officials to restore financing through September 2025 after earlier cuts by the Trump administration. Capus said the broadcaster has secured key legal wins and is also seeking diverse revenue sources. The EU pledged EUR 5.5 million (CZK 133 million) this year to support RFE/RL operations.