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President Petr Pavel has described any reduction in defence spending as irresponsible under current security conditions. Speaking at a press conference in Prague, he warned that if the defence budget remains at its newly proposed level of 154.79 billion crowns, Czechia would be among the few countries moving in the opposite direction to its allies. The previous government had planned 175.79 billion crowns for the Defence Ministry. Pavel said maintaining robust spending is vital for credibility with partners and with Ukraine. NATO members agreed last year to raise defence spending to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2035, with additional related investments.

French President Emmanuel Macron is the only foreign leader trusted by more than half of Czechs, according to a new survey by the Public Opinion Research Centre. Macron enjoys 52 percent trust, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj is trusted by 44 percent and distrusted by 47 percent. The highest levels of distrust were recorded for Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. Only eight percent trust Putin and 12 percent trust Trump. Trust levels vary sharply by party preference.

The Czech Trade Inspection Authority (ČOI) seized 21,856 counterfeit items last year with an estimated value of CZK 82.6 million in original prices. Compared to 2023, that was about 8,000 fewer items and CZK 15 million less in value. Inspectors carried out 676 checks and found breaches of intellectual property rules in nearly half of them, mainly in small shops and market stalls. Most counterfeits were clothing, followed by toys and footwear. Frequently copied brands included Nike and Lego. Fines imposed last year totalled CZK 8 million.

The parliamentary mandate and immunity committee has decided to advise the Chamber of Deputies not to lift the immunity of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) and lower house speaker Tomio Okamura (SPD) for criminal prosecution. Babiš faces charges linked to the Čapí hnízdo (a recreation and conference center) subsidy case, which he calls politically motivated. Okamura is accused of incitement to hatred over campaign posters. Both deny wrongdoing. Given the governing majority of ANO, SPD and the Motorists party, the outcome had been widely expected. The full chamber is set to vote on the prosecution requests at an extraordinary session on March 5.