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The minister of industry and trade, Jan Mládek, says the Czech government wishes to see the European Union take a unified position on Russia after its military incursion into Ukraine’s Crimea region. Speaking on a TV debate show on Sunday, Mr. Mládek said the worst alternative would be for the EU to adopt a radical policy pushed by some states but then not to adhere to it; Russia wishes to see a split between European states, he said. The minister also said he saw a parallel between the situation surrounding Crimea and Kosovo’s split from Serbia; this view is opposed by Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, who is also chair of Mr. Mládek’s party the Social Democrats.

The Czech Republic will have to return around CZK 60 billion in European Union subsidies next year, the weekly Euro reported, quoting the minister for regional development, Věra Jourová. Her ministry is therefore drawing up an inventory of projects that are failing to draw properly on EU funds in an effort to increase efficiency. Ms. Jourová said it was becoming more likely that fears of potential funding going to waste would come true. Last year CZK 10 billion was not accessed, while this year the figure will evidently be CZK 24 billion and next year even higher at CZK 26 billion, the minister said.

The Czech speed skater Martina Sáblíková ended her season on Saturday with fourth place in the 3000m in Heerenveen in the Netherlands, a result that gave her an eighth overall victory in her sport’s long-distance World Cup. Sáblíková will not take part in next week’s World Championships, also in Heerenveen, saying she is exhausted after the Winter Olympics in Sochi, where she picked up silver in the 3000m and gold in the 5000m to take her tally of Olympic medals to five.

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka has rejected a call from three former ministers for the Czech Republic to impose sanctions on Russia until it withdraws its troops from Ukraine’s Crimea region. The demand was made by Martin Bursík, Michael Kocáb and Luboš Dobrovský, all of whom served in right-wing governments. Mr. Sobotka said the current Czech cabinet would not under any circumstances impose unilateral sanctions. However, he and his colleagues were prepared to back a joint EU position on the matter, he said. Mr. Sobotka added that the Czech Republic had significant links with the Russian market and blanket sanctions would threaten jobs.