Top Story | All stories

Doctors have reported the first coronavirus victim in the Czech Republic.

The State Security Council has decided to severely limit free movement in the Czech Republic from midnight March 16 to 6am March 24 in order to limit the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš stressed that this is not a ban on leaving the house, but simply an attempt to limit people to going to work, shop for supplies and spend the rest of their time home. A two meter distance is to be kept between individuals.

Czech government closes shops, restaurants, casinos

The Czech government has declared an unprecedented ban on travel in connection with the coronavirus epidemic.

The ANO party of millionaire businessman Andrej Babiš made a breakthrough in regional elections, winning most votes in nine of the 13 areas being contested.

European Union leaders agreed on concrete steps aimed at reinforcing the trust of citizens at a one-day informal summit in Bratislava, the Czech prime minister, Bohuslav Sobotka, said in a tweet on Friday evening. Mr. Sobotka also said that it was in the interests of the Czech Republic that the EU remain united.

Two Czech women who were kidnapped in Pakistan two years ago have been released, Czech Television reported early on Saturday citing Turkish media sources. The IHH Turkish charity reportedly participated in negotiations to secure their release and the two young women returned home via Turkey late on Friday night.

Czech MPs have voted to dissolve the lower house, triggering early elections. Deputies from the Social Democrats, the Communist Party, TOP 09 and some smaller groupings raised their hands for the motion, which was carried by 140 votes, exceeding the necessary three-fifths majority in the 200-seat lower house.

Miloš Zeman and Karel Schwarzenberg have emerged as the strongest candidates from the first round of the Czech presidential election, and are heading to a runoff for the top post held in two weeks’ time. A former Social Democrat prime minister, Miloš Zeman picked up over 24 percent of the vote while Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg surprisingly came in close second.