Czech news in brief for November 1: Saturday’s top afternoon headlines

Boris Šťastný, head of the Motorists’ lower house group, denied claims that coalition MPs must commit to electing SPD leader Tomio Okamura as speaker. He said Monday’s coalition agreement outlines party positions without specifying names, and MPs will vote according to conscience. Opponents have criticized Okamura’s potential election as inappropriate for the role, noting his past statements questioning Czechia’s EU and NATO membership.

Trains have returned to the Tanvald–Kořenov cog railway in the Jizera Mountains after a six-month, CZK 450 million reconstruction. The reopening restores direct service from Liberec to Poland’s Sklarzska Poreba Górna. Renovations included tunnel work, track upgrades, and replacement of rack sections. Historic locomotives resumed service, and minor follow-up work is planned next year. The line, in operation since 1902, is the steepest in Czechia and a cultural monument.

Christian Democrat chairman Marek Výborný said the government will send next year’s draft budget to the Chamber of Deputies after the election of a new speaker. The outgoing Fiala cabinet previously considered resubmission unnecessary, but the incoming ANO, SPD, and Motorists coalition requested it. The budget, proposing a CZK 286 billion deficit, will be reviewed by the budget committee before deputies vote on its basic parameters.

Police pyrotechnics experts recovered more than 100 pieces of historical artillery and small-caliber munitions near the Polish border in Bartošovice in the Orlické Mountains. A 48-year-old man and his son discovered the ordnance while metal-detecting. Authorities secured the site over two days, using heavy equipment, and transported all items safely to a specialized storage facility in Ralsko.

Payments for accommodation, meals, and services in senior homes and similar facilities in Czechia are set to increase by around CZK 100 per month from January, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has proposed. Daily meal costs will rise from CZK 260 to CZK 290, and single-room fees to CZK 380. The ministry cites inflation, while disability advocates warn the planned increases may exceed new care allowances.

The incoming Czech government coalition has unveiled its policy plans for the next four years, which include corporate tax cuts, social benefits expansion, and stronger air defense. What are your thoughts on this?