• Czech National Bank: public finance deficit to increase to 4.5 percent of GDP
    02/03/2023

    The Czech National Bank has revised its forecast for this year’s public finance deficit. The bank now expects a deficit of 4.5 percent of GDP. In its previous prediction published in the autumn, it expected the deficit to be 3.8 percent of GDP.

    Last year, the public sector ended with a deficit of 3.9 percent of GDP, according to a table of key macroeconomic indicators published on Friday as part of the current monetary policy report. The full report will be published next week.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • High wind and snow warning extended until Saturday morning
    02/03/2023

    Fresh snow and strong winds continue to complicate traffic around the country on Friday, and police have had to close a number of small roads. According to meteorologists, the windy weather with the risk of snow drifts will last at least until Saturday morning. Traffic police have warned drivers heading for the mountain regions to exercise caution and not set out without winter gear.

  • Supereme Court rejects appeal in case of Walderode property claim
    02/02/2023

    The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the appeal of Johanna Kammerlander in the restitution case of the family of Karel des Fours Walderode, an aristocrat whose property was confiscated after the Second World War under the Beneš decrees.

    Mrs Kammerlander, who is Mr. Walderode’s widow, has been fighting to regain control of assets in north Bohemia valued at 3 billion crowns since 1992.

    The Supreme Court has previously ruled that Mr. Walderode had failed to regain Czechoslovak citizenship after the war. A certificate stating that he did so in 1947 was not recognized.

    His widow is still able to appeal the verdict at the Constitutional Court.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Weather forecast
    02/02/2023

    Friday is expected to be mostly overcast with rain or snow showers and day temperatures between 3 and 7 degrees Celsius.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Czech Railways reports increase in passenger numbers
    02/02/2023

    State-owned Czech Railways transported 157 million passengers in 2022, which represents a year-on-year increase by 30 percent. In 2019, before the outbreak of Covid, the national carrier transported 182 million passengers.

    Passengers on Czech Railways covered altogether 7.7 billion kilometres last year, which is an increase by 43 percent compared to 2021.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Baby pangolin born at Prague Zoo
    02/02/2023

    Prague Zoo has announced the birth of a rare baby pangolin. According to the zoo’s director Miroslav Bobek it is the first pangolin to be born in Europe. The new-born weighs 135 grams and appears to be healthy, but the few days will be critical, Mr. Bobek has said.

    Prague Zoo received a pair of critically-endangered pangolins from Taipei Zoo last April as part of an animal exchange memorandum between the two cities.

    The zoo is one of a few in the world and only the second in Europe to exhibit pangolins, which are believed to be the most trafficked mammal in the world.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Survey: third of Czechs only have a minimum financial reserve
    02/02/2023

    Almost a third of Czechs only have a minimum financial reserve, which doesn’t cover even a month of their average living expenses, suggests a new survey presented by Česká spořitelna and the Institute of Sociology on Thursday.

    According to the survey, every tenth household in Czechia is currently unable to create any financial reserve and covers current living expenses from previous savings or loans.

    Some 57 percent of respondents said that they have trouble making ends meet and 41 percent fear their financial situation will get worse.

    The survey, called Financial Health Index, was carried out in December among more than 2,000 respondents.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • China calls on Czech lower house speaker to cancel planned visit to Taiwan
    02/02/2023

    China has slammed the planned visit by the speaker of the Czech lower house, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, to Taiwan in March, calling it a "wrongful decision" and urging her to cancel the trip, the Reuters news agency reported on Thursday.

    China resolutely opposes countries with which it has diplomatic ties engaging in official exchanges with Taiwan.

    The TOP 09 party leader Markéta Pekarova announced her plan to visit Taiwan with a delegation of entrepreneurs on Wednesday.

    Earlier this week the Beijing government was also critical of a phone call made by Czech president-elect Petr Pavel to Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Uncertainty over meeting of outgoing and incoming presidents
    02/02/2023

    It is unclear when president-elect Petr Pavel and incumbent Miloš Zeman will meet before the former’s inauguration. Mr. Pavel said on Wednesday that he expected the current head of state would call such talks and saw no reason to request them himself.

    However, Mr. Zeman has said that if the incoming head of state asks for a meeting he will be glad to see him.

    Mr. Pavel said on Wednesday evening that it was clear that the two would have to meet.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Joint Parliament session to inaugurate Pavel to be declared this month
    02/02/2023

    A joint session of the two houses of the Czech Parliament to inaugurate Petr Pavel as president will take place on 2 pm on March 9. The date was confirmed on Wednesday evening by the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, after a meeting with Mr. Pavel, Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Senate Speaker Miloš Vystrčil.

    The lower house speaker will convene the session at the end of this month, after the deadline for judicial review of the presidential elections has passed.

    Mr. Pavel is due to take part in a Senate session on 29 March and has said he will also attend crucial lower house meetings.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

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