News

Public sector employees will get a salary increase of up to 7 percent in 2025, Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura said following talks with the unions on Wednesday. However the wage hikes will not be the same for all employees and there will be further negotiations on the pay rises for individual professions. Only teachers can be certain of a seven per cent wage hike since, according to a legal provision, the government must bring their income up to 130 percent of the average wage next year. Trade unions earlier demanded a pay rise on 10 percent for all public sector employees as of September of this year, but the government rejected the demand, saying the money was not available in this year’s state budget.

The Czech government approved nearly CZK 500 million in compensation for fruit growers affected by spring frosts, Minister of Agriculture Marek Výborný (Christian Democrats) announced. Growers can apply for the aid in October with payments expected in December. The compensation includes CZK 378 million from the EU and CZK 100 million from the Czech budget. Growers who suffered at least 50% damage will receive compensation, with priority given to those with insurance. Various fruit types will have different payout rates, depending on their cultivation costs. The final rates will be determined in November.

A new campaign, "Je to OK!", led by former national anti-drug coordinator Jindřich Vobořil, highlights the preventive and financial benefits of a regulated cannabis market. The campaign focuses on patient protection, decriminalization, and child safety, with videos distributed mainly on social media. Health Minister Vlastimil Válek (TOP 09) expressed support for a regulated market but emphasized the importance of ensuring access to medical cannabis for patients. Vobořil has proposed legislation for legal cannabis cultivation and sale. The government aims to align substance regulations with their harm levels, though opposition remains from some parties.

Despite economic stabilization after high inflation, two-thirds of Czechs still perceive the situation as an economic crisis. This is the main result of a survey by Ipsos for Generali Investments CEE. Rising housing costs and energy prices are the top concerns, along with lingering fears of inflation. Nearly on-fifth cited housing costs as their biggest financial worry, followed by energy prices and inflation. The survey, conducted in August also showed that 60% of Czechs are reducing energy and water consumption, and a significant portion has adjusted their savings strategies.