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Inflation in Czechia rose to 2.2 percent in September, up from 1.5 percent in August, according to figures released by Eurostat on Friday. Despite the increase, Czechia had the fourth-lowest inflation rate in the European Union, after Sweden, Denmark and Hungary.

Across the EU, inflation accelerated from 3.2 to 3.8 percent, its highest level in three years. Eurostat uses harmonised data to compare prices across member states. According to the Czech Statistical Office, annual inflation in Czechia reached 2.5 percent in September, up from 1.9 percent a month earlier.

Rising oil and gas prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East have added to inflationary pressures. Inflation in the eurozone also climbed to 3.8 percent, remaining above the European Central Bank’s two-percent target.

Czech President Petr Pavel says he paid for his holiday in Morocco and a return flight to Czechia from his own funds. The holiday cost 3,750 euros, while the return flight, which allowed him to vote in the municipal elections, cost 15,000 euros.

In a statement published on Friday, the Presidential Office said it had neither paid for nor organised the private trip. Pavel returned to Czechia on a scheduled commercial flight.

Pavel said he wanted to clarify questions raised about the trip, stressing the importance of transparency while rejecting what he described as interference in his privacy. Coalition MPs had called for an explanation amid suspicions that he had not paid for the trip entirely himself.

EU leaders ended the first day of their Brussels summit amid disagreements over energy policy, particularly emissions trading. Czechia and its Visegrád partners, supported by Italy and Greece, sought a review of ETS2 and a delay until at least 2030. Germany and other countries opposed the proposal. The outcome remains unclear, with energy conclusions still unpublished. ETS2 is currently due to launch in 2028, covering fuels for road transport and building heating. Today’s talks will focus on Ukraine and migration, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj attending in person. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) represents Czechia.

Prague’s Signal festival of digital and creative culture opened on Thursday, offering video mapping, laser projections and light installations at 17 locations. Its two routes cover the city centre and, for the first time, Dejvice. The festival runs until Sunday, with installations accessible daily from 7 p.m. to midnight. Highlights include works by Jim Campbell and Kurt Hentschläger, video mapping inspired by Václav Havel by Ukrainian artist Svitlana Reinish, and a ten-metre laser installation on the Vltava. Eight locations require tickets, including a Laterna magika performance at the former sewage treatment plant in Bubeneč. This year’s theme is “Dream on! Dreams and Visions”.