News

Electronic sales registration (EET) is likely to return from January 2027. The government approved a proposal to reintroduce it today, Finance Minister Alena Schillerová (ANO) told journalists. The proposal, which will now be discussed by Parliament, is expected by the cabinet to bring CZK 14.4 billion annually into public budgets. It also includes tax changes, such as the restoration of some tax reliefs abolished by the previous government and adjustments to value added tax (VAT).

Under the EET system, both cash and cashless payments made during in-person contact with customers or at business premises will be recorded. Unlike the previous version of EET, businesses will not be required to issue paper receipts unless customers specifically request them.

The EET system was originally introduced by the ČSSD and ANO government in 2016, but from spring 2020 it was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic until the end of 2022 and effectively became voluntary. It was abolished in January 2023 by the government of Petr Fiala (ODS).

The opposition Pirate Party has appealed to the European Commission (EC) regarding the use of European funds for the 2028–2034 period to fight disinformation and strengthen the state’s resilience. The weekly Respekt reported today that Natálie Vachatová, an adviser to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO), is proposing to remove support for media and digital literacy from the Ministry for Regional Development’s plan for negotiating the EU budget. She also proposed to remove support for boosting resilience against disinformation.

The Pirates said in a press release that they consider the proposal unacceptable. “In the past, Natálie Vachatová gave interviews to the disinformation pro-Russian website Sputnik News, which is blocked here because it is considered a tool of Russian propaganda. She is part of the group Friends of Russia and has even called for leaving the EU. It is entirely absurd that this person has influence, on behalf of the government, over how the Czech state will respond to external and internal threats,” said Pirate MP Ivan Bartoš. The Pirates are preparing to send Babiš their own plan to combat disinformation soon.

According to the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), conditions in the Czech manufacturing sector improved slightly in April. The index rose to 52.9 points from 52.8 in March, marking the best result in four years. The information was released today by S&P Global. A level of 50 points in the index is the threshold between growth and contraction in the sector. However, the increase in the index is likely primarily due to its specific calculation methodology and cannot be interpreted as a genuine improvement, said Vít Hradil, an analyst at Investika, in a statement to the Czech News Agency.

The rise in the index was partly driven by a significant lengthening of supplier delivery times. Under normal circumstances, this would indicate stronger demand, but it is currently linked to trade disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East. The weakening of supply chains was reflected in the sharpest deterioration in delivery quality since mid-2022. Survey participants specifically mentioned the rerouting of logistics routes and problems with supplies from Asia.

Firefighters battling a wildfire in Bohemian Switzerland National Park are gradually reducing the area affected by the blaze. The burned zone is now estimated at just under 100 hectares, though officials say the fire has not yet been brought fully under control.

The fire has been burning since Saturday between Rynartice and Dolní Chřibská in northern Czechia. Around 400 firefighters and more than 100 pieces of equipment are currently deployed at the scene.

Two Black Hawk helicopters from Slovakia are due to arrive on Monday, bringing the total number of aircraft fighting the fire to nine helicopters.

Roads near the affected area remain closed. Police have urged the public to follow instructions from emergency services and not enter the operational zone. A no-fly zone has also been imposed above the fire area, and several tourist trails remain closed.