Daily news summary
Czech minister: EU free movement of workers directive should be adopted within weeks
The Czech Republic should transport the EUs free movement of workers directive into its legislation within a matter of weeks, the minister for legislation and human rights Jan Chvojka said in response to the ECs announcement it would take the Czech Republic to court over its failure to do so. Chvojka said the legislation still needed to win approval in the Senate and would be signed into law by the president, a process expected to take just a few weeks.
The Czech Republic could face sanctions over its failure to transport the directive into its national legislation. The regulation was to enter into force at the latest by May 2016. The commission has proposed that the Czech Republic pay 33,510 euros per day until it adopts the directive into law.
Agriculture Minister accuses retailers of pushing up butter prices
Agriculture Minister Marian Jurečka says retailers are responsible for the steep rise in the price of butter. According to the minister half of the price makes up retail stores profit margins. He said rising prices on world markets had also contributed to the increase.
The Union of Tourism and Trade has dismissed the claim that retailers are to blame saying the development of dairy prices on world markets is responsible. The price of butter on the Czech market has doubled in the past year.
Former Czech ambassador to Paris Pavel Fischer running for president
The former Czech ambassador to Paris Pavel Fischer has entered the race for president. Mr. Fischer confirmed his candidacy at a press conference in Prague on Thursday, saying he had the support of ten senators across the political spectrum.
Pavel Fischer has also served as Czech ambassador to Monaco, he was in the service of president Vaclav Havel and is currently director of the STEM polling agency.
Ten other candidates are in the running for the country’s top post, including the incumbent president Miloš Zeman. A candidate needs to win support from ten senators, twenty MPs or 50,000 Czech citizens.
Czech lower house speaker: Slovakia can serve as an example
Slovakia can serve as an example to the Czech Republic as regards adoption of the euro and the growth of the minimal wage, the speaker of the Czech lower house Jan Hamáček said on an official visit to Slovakia on Thursday.
Mr. Hamáček also praised the excellent relations between the two neighbor states, saying they were the best in history. It seems we needed to break-up in order to meet again in the European Union, Hamáček told reporters in Bratislava.
The speaker of the Slovak lower house Andrej Danko noted that the two countries had a great deal in common and faced similar problems.
Kellner remains richest Czech
The owner of the investment group PPF Petr Kellner remains the richest Czech according to Forbes magazine. The market value of his assets is estimated at 310 billion crowns.
Second ranking goes to ANO leader and former finance minister Andrej Babis whose property is estimated at 88 billion. Real estate magnate Radovan Vitek placed third with assets worth 57 billion crowns.
There are 11 newcomers among the country’s 70 richest Czechs and their overall wealth crossed the trillion crown mark for the first time this year.
Caricaturist and comics author Vladimír Renčín dies at 75
Czech illustrator, caricaturist and comics author Vladimír Renčín has died at the age of 75, following a long illness. The announcement was made on Wednesday by his daughter, Zuzana Renčínová.
The satirist was well-known for panels commenting on current affairs and was published for decades in Czech newspapers and magazines. His work has been published in more than 30 books.
Weather forecast
Friday is expected to bring overcast skies and rain and day temperatures between 9 and 13 degrees Celsius.
