Monday news summary

Covid update

For five days, the anti-epidemic system (PES) has been in the fourth degree of risk score. The restrictions, however, still correspond with the fifth highest level. The government does not plan on releasing the measures because there are still too many people in hospitals. According to the Deputy Prime Minister Karel Havlíček (for ANO), a possible transition from the fifth to the fourth degree of measures according to the PES could be discussed in the middle of the week at the earliest, if the daily numbers of infected people continue to decline.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) has announced that stationery, clothing and shoe stores for children and lingerie stores could open from Tuesday. The government will likely ask for further extension of the emergency state for another 30 days.

Navalny's detention condemned by Czech politians and EU

Alexei Navalny stays at a police station on the outskirts of Moscow. A Russian opposition politician was detained at a Moscow airport on Sunday evening, immediately after arriving from Berlin, where he was being treated for poisoning.

The detention of Navalný has previously been condemned by representatives of the member states of the European Union, including the Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO). Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček (ČSSD) stated on Twitter that he would like to discuss the matter at the next meeting of the EU Council of Foreign Ministers. Charles Michel, President of the European Council, called for his immediate release. Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland are also calling for a response to the arrest.

Vaccination continues

In addition to first-line paramedics, vaccination started with seniors over the age of 80 who registered with a reservation system launched on Friday. By Monday morning, more than 155,000 of them had registered, and over 45,000 of them already know the date of their first vaccination. Over the weekend, the Prime Minister emphasized that it is still necessary to vaccinate the rest of the doctors, for example pediatricians and practitioners.

The Czech Lion Awards

The Czech Lion Awards nominations will be announced in Prague today. These are the annual awards of the Czech Film and Television Academy (CFTA). Over 300 film professionals evaluated 22 feature films, seven animated films and 18 short films in the 28th Czech Lions. Out of a total of 32 documentaries this year, the commission selected 15 films, but one of them did not meet the conditions for screening in cinemas for some time due to coronavirus measures. Every year, the CFTA also appreciates the extraordinary contribution to Czech cinematography and audiovisual achievement.