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Czech MPs have overridden President Petr Pavel’s veto of a controversial amendment to budget rules, clearing the way for the legislation to take effect. The government has said the changes are needed to allow more flexibility in managing public finances, while the opposition fears they will lead to higher spending and state debt.

The amendment will allow the government to increase defence spending above approved budget limits for several more years than under current rules. Similar flexibility will apply to strategic infrastructure projects, while the government will also be able to exceed approved spending in the event of a worsening security situation.

The veto was overturned by 104 coalition MPs, with 72 opposition lawmakers voting against. The opposition plans to challenge the legislation at the Constitutional Court.

Czech hop growers expect this year’s harvest to be up to 25 percent below the long-term average, the Hop Growers Association said on Wednesday, adding that prolonged drought and high temperatures are also expected to reduce the crop’s alpha acid content, which determines hop quality.

Only about a quarter of Czech hop fields have irrigation systems, and even some of those lacked enough water this year. The government is planning reservoirs and other measures to improve water supplies in hop-growing areas.

The Czech hop-growing area has fallen slightly this year to about 4,800 hectares, with around 120 growers. About three-quarters of the country’s hop fields are in the Žatec region, home to the main Czech hop variety, Saaz. About 40 percent of Czech hops are used domestically, with the rest exported.

The reconstruction of Prague’s baroque Invalidovna was officially launched on Wednesday in the presence of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. The project is expected to cost CZK 2.15 billion, making it the National Heritage Institute’s largest investment to date and one of the most complex heritage projects in Central Europe.

The historic site will undergo a complete renovation, while two modern extensions will be built in the southern part of the grounds to provide facilities for the Prague Philharmonic Choir and technical services.

The restored Invalidovna is expected to open to the public in 2030. The National Heritage Institute has managed the site since 2018, after a planned sale to a private owner was cancelled by the government.

The company Cream wants to preserve part of the fire-damaged building in the former Bata industrial complex in Zlín. It has therefore suspended the main demolition work on the remaining structure and is consulting structural engineers and other experts on how to safely separate and preserve the section.

Cream communications director Marcel Schmidt said the aim was to retain part of the building as an authentic reminder of its history and original Bata architecture, with architects and artists involved in shaping the concept.