Morning Briefing │ Monday, April 22nd, 2024

* POLITICS:

Czechia will again propose restricting the movement of Russian diplomats in the Schengen area, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský (Pirates, Greens) said in response to the arrest of two Russian agents in Germany on suspicion of espionage and planning attacks. Czechia has already proposed restricting the movement of Russian agents in the EU in the autumn of 2023.

* ENVIRONMENT:

The use of solar energy in Czechia has skyrocketed in the last five years, the Czech News Agency said on Sunday. While just over 3,400 new solar power systems were installed in 2019, last year that figure had reached nearly 83,000. Investments in this type of technology are also growing considerably, amounting to almost CZK 45 billion last year; five years ago the figure was less than CZK 1 billion.

* WEATHER:

It should be mainly overcast in Czechia on Monday, with an average high temperature of 7 degrees Celsius. Warmer temperatures are expected later in the next week.

* SPORT:

A female co-driver was killed in a Rally Šumava race in the Plzeň area on Saturday. Navigator Alena Krejčíková died later in hospital after injuries sustained in the opening stage of the rally, a local police spokesperson told the Czech News agency.

* POLITICS:

Andrej Babis, the former Czech PM and leader of the opposition ANO party, announced on Instagram yesterday that he and his wife Monika have separated after roughly 30 years together, including seven years of marriage. They have two children together – daughter Vivien and son Frederik. Babis is married for the second time; his first wife was Beata Adamovicova.