Daily news summary

Senator Hilšer to run for president in 2023 elections

Senator Marek Hilšer has announced his intention to run in the next presidential elections in 2023. Senator Hilšer said he would run as an independent candidate, which means that he will have to collect 50,000 signatures from the public or alternately get support from ten parliament deputies or twenty fellow senators. He intends to tour the regions to win public support.

Hilšer ran for president in the 2018 election but failed to make it to the run-off in which the incumbent president, Miloš Zeman beat his main rival Jiří Drahoš. President Zeman is not eligible to run for a third term.

Marek Hilšer is a brain tumour specisalist. He was elected to the Senate in the autumn of 2018.

Interior ministers from Central Europe meeting in Prague

The interior ministers of the Visegrad group states and Austria are holding talks on a broad range of security issues in Prague.

Czech Interior Minister Jan Hamáček, who is hosting the meeting at Hrzánský Palace said the main focus of the talks was on illegal migration, border security in Central Europe and cooperation with the UK post-Brexit.

President-elect of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said earlier the EU must clearly define “illegal” migration and work towards a common security and asylum policy.

CzechToll/SkyToll extends number of registration places for new tolling system

The consortium CzechToll/SkyToll, which is to start operating a new tolling system in the Czech Republic as of December 1st, has announced it will increase the number of registration places in the coming days in order to avoid traffic problems due to unregistered vehicles.

Hauliers using toll roads will be obliged to register and have their vehicles fitted with a new on-board unit by December 1st.

Approximately 251,000 vehicles are reported to have registered to date and another 200,000 are expected to do so in the coming days.

People can experience homelessness within annual awareness campaign

People in fifteen Czech towns and cities can gain first-hand experience of homelessness on Thursday night. The annual event titled Sleeping Out in the Open aims to raise awareness of the problems of homeless people and fight prejudices against them.

People taking part in the event organized by charities are encouraged to donate food and clothes to the homeless.

According to available statistics there are 23,800 homeless people in the Czech Republic, of which 2,600 are under 18.

Experts estimate that 40 percent of 16-year-olds have tried e-cigarettes

40 percent of Czechs aged 16 have tried electronic cigarettes, according to experts from the National Anti-Addiction Helpline. In a press release on the occasion of the International No Smoking Day, the organisation went on to say that 17 percent of 16-year-olds are also regular users. It is expected that the number of those who smoke regular cigarettes, currently some 2.5 million people, will continue to decrease. Around 5 percent of Czech adults smoke e-cigarettes.

Home Credit withdraws decision to enter Hong Kong Stock Exchange

The consumer loan provider Home Credit will not continue to pursue its previous plans to enter the Hong Kong Stock Exchange due to market conditions, the Czech News Agency reported on Thursday, citing a communique from Home Credit itself.

The company, which is part of the PPF investment group owned by the Czech Republic’s richest man, Petr Kellner, filed for a listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange in July.

Weather forecast

Friday should be partly cloudy to overcast with scattered showers and day temperatures reaching 10 degrees Celsius.