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The Czech president, Miloš Zeman, says tough conditions should be attached to any European Union aid to Ukraine. Speaking on a visit to the Moravian town of Přerov on Friday, Mr. Zeman said that at the present time, prior to elections, any such financial assistance would end up in a “black hole” in the pockets of the country’s oligarchs. The president said if Ukraine wanted to feel part of Europe, it would have in the coming decade to be prepared to accept related sacrifices, such as higher gas prices.

The Czech government wants to establish a central register of bank accounts in a bid to combat tax evasion. The register would be run by the central bank. The plan was announced by Finance Minister Andrej Babiš and Interior Minister Milan Chovanec after a meeting on Friday. Mr. Babiš said he would present legislation creating such a register at the next meeting of the cabinet. A special inter-ministerial team will also be set up to deal with individual cases of tax fraud.

Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek and Minister for Legislation and Human Rights Jiří Dienstbier have been slammed by Social Democrat party colleagues for making overly critical comments on Russia in relation to the current crisis in Ukraine, Právo reported on Friday. At a meeting of the Social Democrats’ parliamentary group Mr. Zaorálek was accused of behaving as if he were in opposition and unaware that his words could influence relations with other states, the newspaper said. The foreign minister has backed the opposition in Ukraine, while Mr. Dienstbier has said a Russian bidder should be excluded from a tender to extend a Czech nuclear power station over the country’s actions.

The crisis in Ukraine has emphasized the need to improve energy security in Europe, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said after Thursday’s meeting of EU leaders in Brussels. The Czech prime minister said that the EU would be in a better position to respond to the Crimean crisis were it not dependent on Russian oil and gas. The Czech Republic has pushed for a diplomatic solution to the crisis taking a cautious stand on economic sanctions. Mr. Sobotka likewise expressed support for the proposal that the political part of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine be signed by the Ukrainian interim prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, since this would help Kiev’s efforts to maintain the territorial integrity of the country.