News

The Czech Republic’s foreign debt stood at CZK 5.683 trillion at the end of last year, according to preliminary data released on Monday by the Czech National Bank (ČNB).

Year-on-year, the debt increased by CZK 423.2 billion, reaching 66.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. In the final quarter alone, foreign debt rose by CZK 127.2 billion.

Foreign debt represents the total of liabilities with a defined maturity. The private sector accounted for the majority share, making up 76.5 percent of the total external debt.

The remainder consisted of public sector liabilities, including obligations of government institutions, private sector liabilities guaranteed by the state, and debts of entities with majority state ownership that are classified outside the general government sector.

The government commissioner for the construction of a new Prague hospital, Pavel Scholz, aims to complete the project’s investment plan within a year, Czech Television reported. Authorities are currently selecting suitable land, with Letňany and Vysočany among the locations under consideration.

The future facility is expected to take over acute care from a number of Prague hospitals. This would free up capacity at those sites for follow-up and long-term care services.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) recently argued that four of Prague’s university hospitals - Thomayer Hospital in Krč, Vinohrady Hospital, Bulovka Hospital and the General University Hospital - were built a very long time ago and it is time for Prague to get a new, state-of-the-art medical institution.

The Czech Republic is set to experience a dramatic change in weather this week. Early days will bring clear skies and temperatures of up to 18°C. However, conditions will deteriorate in the second half of the week, with cloud cover increasing and daytime temperatures dropping close to freezing point.

On Friday, temperatures are expected to reach only between 1°C and 6°C. Nighttime temperatures throughout the week may fall to around zero or several degrees below. The coldest night is likely to be between Thursday and Friday, when temperatures could drop to as low as –3°C.

According to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, a belt of rain will bring rain showers as of Wednesday, with snowfall possible even at lower elevations later in the week.

Justice Minister Jeroným Tejc (ANO) is preparing a reform of the judiciary that would involve closing or merging courts and public prosecutor’s offices. He says the changes are aimed at cutting costs and improving efficiency. “The main goal is to avoid an overgrown management structure,” the minister said, adding that he also plans to slow down the appointment of new judges.

However, opposition politicians and some judicial officials have raised concerns. They warn the reform could reduce access to justice and pose technical challenges. The head of the Judges’ Union, Libor Vávra, cautioned about potential issues with data migration and criticized plans to slow down  the appointment of new judges.