News

The government of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) has approved the state budget for 2026, with a deficit of 310 billion crowns. The three-party-coalition of ANO, SPD and Motorists, which took office in mid-December,  reworked a draft prepared by the previous cabinet.

Finance Minister Alena Schillerová (ANO) argued that the high deficit exceeding 300 billion crowns, is inevitable due to poor financing on the part of the former government, which she claims presented a draft lacking roughly 96 billion crowns in expenditures.

The Czech Republic is currently operating under a provisional budget.

Last year, the budget ended with a deficit of 290.7 billion crowns. It was the fourth-largest deficit in Czech history and exceeded the originally planned shortfall of 241 billion crowns.

Money raised in the SOS Kyiv emergency appeal has begun reaching people in frost-hit parts of Ukraine, with more than CZK 100 million collected since Wednesday. Volunteers have been ordering and purchasing generators for hospitals and households, along with backup batteries and basic outdoor equipment such as heating pads, to provide rapid assistance, organisers said.

Martin Ondráček from the organising initiative Gift for Putin (Dárek pro Putina) said the priority is to deliver help as quickly as possible to where it is most needed. Czech President Petr Pavel described the amount raised as an extraordinary result, saying it shows the Czech public’s ability to demonstrate solidarity in difficult times and target support effectively.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also praised the support from Czech citizens and non-governmental organisations over the weekend.

Public sector pay rises in Czechia are expected to cost between CZK 27 and CZK 28 billion, according to Labour and Social Affairs Minister Aleš Juchelka. Speaking on Czech Television on Sunday, he said individual ministries would have to cover the increases from their own budgets to avoid placing further strain on state finances. Salaries are set to rise from April.

Under a deal agreed between the government and trade unions on Friday, non-teaching school staff, cultural workers and civil servants will receive a nine-percent pay rise from April. Nurses and social care workers will see a five-percent increase, with an additional one percent paid in bonuses, while doctors and dentists are set to receive a two-percent rise. The government is expected to approve the measures on Monday, alongside the draft state budget for next year.

Ondřej Synek, the most successful rower in Czech history, has received the Thomas Keller Award for international success, exemplary sportsmanship and lifelong contribution to rowing. The medal, named after a former president of World Rowing, was announced by the federation on its website on Sunday.

The 43-year-old is a five-time world champion and won two silver and one bronze medal at the Olympic Games. He has also claimed numerous medals at world and European championships.

Synek becomes only the second Czech to receive the award, following Václav Chalupa. Although he had been nominated in previous years, the honour was awarded to him this year.