Up to 20 centimetres of heavy wet snow is expected to fall in the south, east and north-east of the Czech Republic, meteorologists warned. Around 50 cm of snow could fall in the north-eastern Jeseníky and Beskydy mountains. Roads in parts of the country could also be covered with snow and ice. Meteorologists also said this March was set to be the coldest on record since 1987.
The Czech police on Saturday launched a nationwide crackdown against drunk driving. Around 1,500 police officers will take part in the campaign organized along with the Czech Malt and Brewing Association which gives drivers who pass alcohol test a free tester and a sample of alcohol-free beer. The campaign will last until Monday.
Interior Minister Jan Kubice will pull a bill extending the powers of municipal police forces from the lower house, the news agency ČTK reported on Saturday. The bill was approved by the government last August; however, debates in several committees of the Chamber of Deputies showed it would not gain enough support on the floor. The issue is to be discussed by the cabinet next week.
A Czech businessman abducted in southern France earlier this month was murdered, the daily Právo reported on Saturday quoting police sources. The 72-year-old man arrived in Nice on March 6 to close a real-estate deal with two Czech nationals but was abducted on his way from the airport. The police reportedly believe he was shot dead by one of the clients; his body has been discovered in the French Alps, the daily said. The police arrested two people in the Czech Republic in connection with the case.
Prague zoo opened a new habitat for elephants and hippos on Saturday. The occasion was accompanied by a name-giving ceremony for a baby elephant which was born in January. The elephant girl was named Sita. The new habitat, which cost over 500 million crowns, will allow the zoo to extend its elephant breeding programme, zoo’s management said. Prague zoo has bred elephants since 1933; it now has seven female, one male and one baby elephant.
The Czech Republic switches to summer time, or daylight saving time, at 2 AM on Sunday, along with the rest of Europe. Summer time will end in October. The change will affect 15 express trains which will be delayed by an hour, Czech Railways said. In the Czech Republic, summer time was first introduced during WWI and then again during WWII. It was abolished in 1949 but brought back by the communist authorities in 1979.
Regular season winners Slavia Prague beat Plzeň 3:2 in the fourth game of the best-of-seven semifinal series of the Czech hockey league playoffs on Friday night, and tied the series 2:2. The fifth game is scheduled on Monday. In the other semifinal series which continues on Saturday, Zlín is tied 1:1 with Třinec.
The prolonged Easter weekend will be partly cloudy, with rain and later snow, mainly in the south and east of the country. Daytime highs should range between 1 and 5 degrees Celsius.
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