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A record 6.32 million people visited Czech web sites in November, which is an increase by 2.5 percent since October, according to the data published by the NetMonitor research agency. The figures for December, which will be available at the end of the month, are expected to be even higher. The most popular web site is Seznam.cz, the country’s biggest internet search engine, with nearly 65 million users, followed by the news sites iDnes.cz and Novinky.cz with around three million visitors each.

The Czech Republic took over the rotating EU presidency from France on Thursday for a six month term that will involve dealing with the global economic crisis and renewed conflict in the Middle East. The motto of the Czech presidency is “Europe without Barriers”, expressing a wish to advance the free movement of people, goods and services around the EU. On January 6th the government will present its priorities which have been dubbed the three Es – economy, energy and “Europe in the World” which entails a three-pronged approach to the EU’s foreign relations. A delegation of the European Commission is expected to visit Prague on January 7th when an official launch of the Czech presidency will take place. On January 8 Prague will host an informal meeting of EU ministers.

In its new role at the head of the EU, the Czech Republic on Thursday urged further negotiations to resolve a dispute between Russia and Ukraine over gas supplies, after Russia said it would switch off supplies to its ex-Soviet neighbour. "The EU presidency and the Commission urge both sides and their governments to continue negotiations and rapidly reach a successful outcome so that gas supplies to the EU are not affected," EU president the Czech Republic and the European Commission said in a joint statement. "All existing commitments to supply and transit must be honoured," the Czech Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexander Vondra said on Thursday.

The reliability of energy supplies from Russia to Europe is likely to top the agenda of a meeting of EU ministers to be held in the Czech Republic next week.

The Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolánek, has said he would announce a cabinet reshuffle on Monday, January 5. The prime minister made the statement on national television just hours after his government took over the rotating presidency of the European Union. Changes in the centre-right government have been on the cards ever since the coalition government suffered a humiliating defeat in October’s regional and Senate elections. Although the government has been able to push through plenty of reforms since taking office its razor thin majority recently crumbled, leaving it dependent on support from a number of rebels and independents.