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The Czech Republic aims to import two billion cubic meters of gas annually from Azerbaijan. Deliveries could begin between 2028 and 2029, Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlíček said during a visit to Azerbaijan today. The agreement has not yet been signed, but the contract has been promised and is well on track, he added. Shortly before, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said that energy company ČEZ is pursuing the gas supplies.

Gas consumption in the Czech Republic rose by 6.5% year-on-year to a total of 7.2 billion cubic meters last year, according to data from the Energy Regulatory Office.

According to Havlíček, the annual cost of the gas would be around CZK 20 billion, depending on the length of the contract. To secure a favorable price, the minister said the Czech Republic would likely need to commit to a contract lasting 10 to 15 years. Azerbaijan currently supplies gas to ten EU countries; the Czech Republic would become the eleventh.

Fuel margin regulation and the reduction of excise duty on diesel will continue in May, Finance Minister Alena Schillerová (ANO) announced on the social network X. According to her, the government approved the measure unanimously today. She did not provide further details, which are expected at a press conference.

“Together with margin monitoring, this is a proven package thanks to which drivers have saved up to 400 crowns on a full tank and will continue to save,” Schillerová said.

The government had planned to replace the measures from the beginning of May with a law regulating fuel prices, but it is not yet clear whether the bill will be signed by President Petr Pavel by Thursday.

Last year, police in Czechia were called to 257 cases of overdoses involving illegal drugs, psychomodulating substances, or psychoactive medications. That is about 90 more cases than the previous year. A total of 111 cases resulted in death, compared to 77 fatalities a year earlier. However, last year’s data may be more accurate than before, said Lucie Šmoldasová from the National Drug Headquarters. She also noted that these figures include only cases involving police, and the real number of poisonings was likely much higher.

The news server Novinky.cz recently reported a significant increase in cannabinoid overdoses in Prague. In 2023, Prague emergency services recorded around 500 such cases; in 2024, the number rose to 820, and last year it exceeded 1,000. This year, in less than the first quarter, there have already been more cases than in the whole of 2023.

The administration of Krkonoše National Park has retained the international Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificate confirming sustainable forest management. The certification audit once again confirmed that the forests in the Krkonoše Mountains are in good condition, representatives of the park administration announced today. The park has held the certificate since 2009. The Krkonoše Mountains area is the largest continuous territory in Czechia and the only national park in the country currently holding FSC forest certification.