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A number of leading politicians in the Czech Republic have hailed the historic election of the pro-European Zuzana Čaputová as president of Slovakia. Some others, however, have been cooler on Čaputová’s ascent to Bratislava’s Grasslokovich Palace.

The celebrated Czech-born author Milan Kundera turns ninety on April 1st. True to form, the reclusive writer – who hasn’t granted an interview in decades – has insisted his publishers ignore the milestone. But the literary world cannot help but take stock of Kundera’s enduring legacy.

For people from a land-locked country, boat hitchhiking may not seem like the ideal way of going places. But young Czech traveller Matěj Vohryzek, who has just returned from a hitchhiking trip across the Atlantic Ocean, has proved that with a dose of courage nothing is impossible. He covered the journey in just three weeks, losing eight kilos on the way.

Exactly 50 years ago today, the Czechoslovak national ice hockey team beat the Soviets in the world championships for a second time, setting off a series of celebrations – which soon turned into protests, at times violent, against the ongoing Warsaw Pact occupation. Though a moral victory, in a sense it proved a Pyrrhic one.

From Monday no fewer than 500 new Czech-made electric bicycles will appear on the streets of Prague under the Freebike brand. Rental is via an app and users will be able to leave the bikes – which also work in traditional pedal mode – at “virtual stations” around the city. At the system’s launch on Thursday I spoke to Charles Butler of operators Homeport.

The Ministry of Defence has released its tender specifications for a new model of Infantry Fighting Vehicles which are set to replace its aging BVP-2s. Four pre-selected companies were invited to the negotiations on Wednesday and the ministry hopes to choose the supplier for its most expensive contract yet by the onset of September.

The Czech national soccer team welcomed five-time World Cup winners Brazil to Prague for a friendly game on Tuesday night. The Czechs were all-action in the first half and even took the lead. However, the Brazilians soon showed their superiority to run out 3:1 winners.

Prague City Hall announced on Monday that its representatives had met with Zdena Mašínová and agreed to exhume the remains of her mother, who was imprisoned by both the Nazis and communists and shares the same name. The city is now preparing the necessary documentation after which the exact date of exhumation will be set.

The most famous Czech cartoon character, Krteček, or the Little Mole, has been the centre of legal disputes for some time. Now a court has ruled that the granddaughter of Krteček’s creator, the late Zdeněk Miler, can no longer grant licenses to produce Little Mole collectibles. Judges say that a contract Miler signed with his granddaughter shortly before his death was invalid.

Winter Flies by Olmo Omerzu swept this year’s Czech Lion national film awards at the weekend. The road movie picked up no fewer than six prizes, including the coveted Best Film and Best Director. The other big success was The Hastrman by Ondřej Havelka.