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A new survey released by the CVVM agency suggests that just under 60 percent of Czech trust Andrej Babiš most among the party leaders or top party members in the Chamber of Deputies. The prime minister, Bohuslav Sobotka, ranked second at 47 percent, and controversial politician Tomio Okamura, the head of the anti-immigration Dawn Party, ranked third with 43 percent. Zuzuana Roithová, of the Christian Democrats, was fourth with 41 percent; others, such as former foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg of the opposition TOP 09 ranked 39 percent or less. Among Czech parties, Andrej Babiš ANO movement recently won the elections to the European Parliament, narrowly edging TOP 09 and coalition partners the Social Democrats.

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka has called a meeting for next week with Justice Minister Helena Válková and Deputy Justice Minister Hana Marvanová over apparently growing tensions at the Justice Ministry. The prime minister made clear he wanted to hear explanations from both women, as well as from the head of coalition partner ANO, Andrej Babiš. The minister and her deputy are reportedly at odds on a number of issues including the naming of judges. Some close to the prime minister have suggested there could be changes at the ministry in coming days; for some time there have been rumors the ministry was not being well run.

The Commissioner for EU Enlargement, Štefan Fuele, has said in an interview for Die Welt that Ukraine, Georgia and Moldavia should become full-fledged members of the European Union – stressing that if change in eastern Europe was the goal, EU enlargement was the strongest instrument. At the same time, the Czech commissioner said, the union needed political and institutional changes to help with enlargement and deeper integration. In addition to further expansion, the commissioner - who ends his term later this year - expressed support for a several tier or multi-speed Europe.

The decision to cancel a tender process for the extension of the Temelín nuclear power station in South Bohemia does not mean that the Czech Republic has given up on nuclear power, says the minister of industry and trade, Jan Mládek. Mr. Mládek told Friday’s edition of Mladá fronta Dnes that it remained the best option for the country as regards power generation. He and the minister of finance will produce a draft plan by the end of the year under which nuclear would replace coal-fired power plants by around 2030, he told the newspaper. New blocks might not be at Temelín but at the Czech Republic’s second nuclear station at Dukovany, Mr. Mládek said.