Daily news summary
PM wants to slash expenditures for EU presidency
Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has said he wants to slash the projected expenditures for the country’s EU presidency in the second half of 2022 by half. The projected expenditures for the presidency are currently at 2. 7 billion crowns, which the prime minister says he considers unnecessarily high.
In an interview for the daily Hospodářské noviny Babis said that in his view the cost of the presidency should not exceed 1.3 billion crowns, roughly 50 million euros. In 2020 the government is expected to spend 178 million crowns in preparatory works.
Finance Ministry envisages next year’s budget deficit at 40 million crowns
A Finance Ministry proposal for next year’s budget, which is to be debated by the government next week, sets next year’s deficit at 40 billion crowns, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš announced at a press conference on Monday.
The draft budget forecasts state expenditures of 1.59 trillion crowns and revenues at 1.55 trillion crowns. According to Mr Babiš, the budget plan also envisages a hike in public sector wages and higher pensions. The first draft budget proposal is to be presented to the lower house on May 31.
Innovation Week gets underway in Prague
Around 30 scientists and business people from all over the world are taking part in a conference in Prague on Monday launching the annual Innovation Week. Among the main guests at the conference are the young American astrophysicist Sabrina Gonzales Pasterski or Anna Du, a 13-year-old American who invented a microplastic-detecting robot to help fight ocean pollution.
The event, organized for the fourth consecutive year by Prague’s European Leadership and Academic Institute, will offer more than 100 accompanying events across the Czech Republic, including seminars and workshops.
Czech car-maker Tatra to provide 12 engines to Israeli fire-fighters
Czech heavy vehicles manufacturer Tatra Trucks will supply 12 fire engines to Israeli security forces, the company announced on Monday. The order is worth approximately 100 million crowns.
As part of the deal, the Czech truck maker will also provide training for Israeli firefighters to operate the engines. The first Tatras are to be delivered to Israel at the end of the year.
Czechs beat Austria 8:0 at IIHF
The Czech Republic beat Austria 8:0 in the Ice Hockey World Championship in Bratislava on Sunday. In a dominant Czech performance Dominik Kubalík, Jan Kolář and Radek Fakse scored one goal each and added two assists. Michal Řepík led the scoring with two goals. Goaltender Pavel Francouz made sixteen saves as he secured a shutout.
Annual Memory of the Nation run raises nearly 900,000 crowns
The annual charity run for Paměť národa or Memory of the Nation Institute raised 872,000 crowns (approximately 34,000 euros), the organizers said on Monday.
The fourth edition of the charity run took place on Saturday in ten locations across the Czech Republic under the motto "For all who have not given up". More than 2,700 people took part in the event.
The funds will help to document the fate of the country’s freedom fighters who fought against Nazism and Communism.
Weather
Tuesday is expected to be partly cloudy to overcast with occasional rain showers and storms. Daytime highs will range between 15 and 19 degrees Celsius.
