Daily news summary
Czech average wages rise 8.6 percent in first quarter
Czech average wages rose by 8.6 percent in the first quarter to 30,265 crowns. After taking off the impact of inflation, the real rise comes to 6.6 percent .
The median wage, the most frequently paid which cancels out the impact of very high wages on the average, rose by 8.3 percent to 25,674 crowns according to the Czech Statistical Office.
Czech wages are rising faster than in most neighbouring countries with the average wage breaking the 30,000 crown mark for the first time at the end of 2017.
Czech construction growth seen at 5.1 percent in 2018
The Czech construction sector should grow by around 5.1 percent this year, according to figures released on Monday by the company CEEC Research.
The growth is 0.8 percentage point higher than companies predicted at the start of the year. However, many firms say they are still being held back by a shortage of workers.
Growth in 2019 is expected to slow to 3.7 percent.
The Czech construction sector was one of the last to emerge out of recession with its performance in recent years often lagging the rest of the economy.
Large companies overwhelmingly benefit from countryside development programme: watchdog
Large Czech companies overwhelmingly benefit from funds earmarked from the EU’s countryside development programme according to a critical report released Monday by spending watchdog, the National Audit Office.
It pointed out in its report that 2.8 billion crowns out of a total 3.8 billion crowns allocated was to one sole programme aimed at supporting the processing of foodstuffs. Most of these funds were directed to large companies, it added.
The report also highlighted delays in paying out subsidies by the Ministry of Agriculture with only 187 million crowns dispatched by the end of 2017, the watchdog said.
Czech PM says transport minister could be part of new government
Prime minister Andrej Babiš has said current transport minister Dan Ťok could continue in the post in a new government he is seeking to put together.
Babiš added on Monday that the minister had his support over the question of introducing new motorway and main road tolls after 2019.
Ťok said mid-May that he was considering not being part of a new government and cited lack of support for the new tolls from his party ANO.
A new toll company formed by Czech Toll and Sky Toll was chosen to operate the new toll system, replacing the current incumbent Kapsch. But the choice has been challenged by the Czech competition office.
Pornography increasingly damaging health and relationships says Brno study
Increased use of and exposure to pornography are increasingly damaging normal relations and even the health of young men, according to a study released Monday by Brno’s University Hospital.
It said many young men were simply not prepared for normal relationships because of the myths created by the pornography they were watching. Many men turned on by pornography could not physically get stimulated in a relationship, the study added. Psychological and even medical treatment was required, the report said.
It also came up with a statistic that men in stable relationships were almost as often likely to resort to masturbation as sex with the ratio at 43 percent to 53 percent.
Nuclear forum to tackle safeguarding know-how, small reactors
Czech and Slovak government ministers are due in Bratislava Monday to debate current problems and perspectives for nuclear energy.
The annual two-day European Nuclear Energy Forum alternates between Czech and Slovak capitals and was created by the two nuclear states as a forum for the industry against the backdrop of increasing pressure to close reactors.
This year’s two main themes are safeguarding European nuclear know-how and the prospects for small modular nuclear reactors. Czech industry minister Tomáš Hüner is due to attend.
Weather
Tuesday will be sunny with cloudy intervals. Heavy showers are expected in the east of the country. Top daytime temperatures will range between 26 and 29 Celsius.
