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The eDocuments app, which serves as an electronic version of the standard ID card can be used from January 1 at post offices, banks, health insurance companies or at polling stations. All municipalities must also accept the electronic version of the ID. It should also be possible to upload a driving license, study certificate or insurance card to the app later this year. The plastic ID card remains valid; the eDocuments app is merely an alternative to it. The app was upgraded earlier this year when it emerged that it sent more information about users than was necessary to a central server, storing information about their movements and whereabouts. This is no longer possible with the new version. The new app is available in App Store and Google Play. Close to half a million people have already downloaded it.

Czechia suffered its first loss at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa on Tuesday, losing to 4:2 to Sweden in the battle for the top spot in Group B. The two goals were scored in the second period by Petr Sikora and captain Eduard Šalé, but the team failed to turn around the game. After beating Switzerland, Slovakia and Kazakhstan, the Czech team finished second in the group with three wins and a loss.

Key events in the Czech Republic this year include parliamentary elections and the signing of a contract to build two new reactors at the Dukovany nuclear plant. General elections are due to be held by October 3-4, with President Petr Pavel expected to announce the exact date by the summer.

In the spring, the ČEZ energy company is set to sign a deal with South Korea’s KHNP on the construction of two nuclear reactors, pending antitrust clearance. The project is estimated at 400 billion CZK. The first reactor should be completed by 2036.

The monthly minimum wage will rise by CZK 1 900 to CZK 20 800 as of January 1, 2025. Old-age pensions will rise by an average of CZK 358. The average monthly old age pension will now be CZK 21,080.

The state budget deficit in 2025 is projected at 241 billion CZK.

Czechia is set to record its hottest year, with the average temperature surpassing 10°C for the first time. Ondráš Přibyla from Fakta o klimatu (Facts about Climate) organization explains to Czech Radio that this marks a two-degree rise since the 1960s, significantly affecting ecosystems, agriculture, and forests. Warmer winters mean less snow and drier springs. Pests like bark beetles reproduce faster, increasing stress on spruce forests. Přibyla emphasizes that while green transformation costs are high, they are far lower than the long-term consequences of inaction on climate change.