• 06/04/2026

    Transparency International (an international NGO) plans to file a complaint with the European Parliament on Friday over a possible conflict of interest involving Czech MEP Alexandr Vondra. According to Politico, Vondra did not disclose his role as honorary chairman of the Prague Centre for Transatlantic Relations in his declaration of private interests. The complaint concerns the think tank’s reported funding from Czech defence companies. Transparency International argues that questions arise because Vondra is involved in negotiating key EU defence legislation and has met representatives of the companies. Vondra and the think tank deny any wrongdoing, saying his position is honorary and does not constitute a formal relationship requiring disclosure. The European Parliament is expected to review the complaint.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 06/04/2026

    The average gross monthly wage in Czechia rose by 8.1 percent year-on-year to CZK 50,282 in the first quarter of 2026, according to figures released by the Czech Statistical Office. That was CZK 3,789 more than a year earlier. After adjusting for inflation, which stood at 1.6 percent, real wages increased by 6.4 percent. The Czech Statistical Office said the slowest wage growth was recorded in the electricity, gas, heating and air-conditioning supply sector. Even so, pay levels in the industry remained well above the national average.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 06/04/2026

    President Petr Pavel will meet Lieutenant General Miroslav Hlaváč on Thursday as the latter moves closer to becoming Czechia’s next chief of the general staff. Pavel said this week that he wants to hear Hlaváč’s priorities while expecting continuity in the army’s current direction. The government approved Hlaváč’s nomination in May, and the Chamber of Deputies’ defence committee discussed it last week. Hlaváč currently serves as deputy chief of the general staff. His priorities include completing the heavy brigade, launching a medium brigade and strengthening air and anti-drone defences.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 06/04/2026

    Government Office chief Tünde Bartha is meeting union representatives after employees declared a strike alert over plans to transfer human rights, mental health and addiction policy agendas to several ministries. The unions say they are ready to call a strike if the transfer is formally approved on Friday. They argue the reorganisation could weaken coordination, disrupt continuity and lead to the departure of experienced staff. Bartha rejects those concerns, insisting the changes will strengthen the affected agendas and that transferred employees will keep their current pay conditions. The government approved the restructuring in May, with implementation planned for July.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 06/03/2026

    Hundreds of employees of Czech Television (ČT) came today dressed in black in front of the main building at Kavčí hory to express their protest against changes in the funding of public service media, which the governing coalition wants to push through. A protest also took place today in front of the headquarters of Czech Radio in Vinohrady. Staff from both media outlets also met in Brno and Ostrava.

    Representatives of the Veřejnoprávně initiative, trade unions, and employees of ČT and ČRo had previously declared an indefinite strike alert due to the planned changes. At today’s gathering they stated that if further political steps towards public service media threaten their independence, they may go on strike.

  • 06/03/2026

    Support for pension savings for clients under 30 will be increased, with new incentives introduced. Most types of savings will see the removal of performance fees and a reduction in management fees. The relevant bill will be submitted by the Ministry of Finance into the interdepartmental comment procedure on Thursday, and the government is expected to discuss it by the end of June. This was stated today by finance minister Alena Schillerová.

    According to Schillerová, the changes should make pension savings more attractive for young people and help them achieve a higher pension in addition to the state pension. At the same time, clients’ returns should increase at the expense of pension companies. She described the level of fees as one of the highest in Europe.

  • 06/03/2026

    On Thursday it will be partly cloudy to mostly clear, with isolated fog in the morning. Cloud cover will gradually increase from the west, and later in the afternoon and evening there will be rain or showers in places in the western half of Bohemia, with isolated thunderstorms as well. Highest daytime temperatures will be 22°C to 26°C.

  • 06/03/2026

    In Prague, around 157,000 apartments are currently under construction, which is 8,000 more than in the first half of last year. This marks the highest number to date. The planned new housing projects are expected to be built mainly in Prague 4, 5, and 9—districts with the largest development areas and brownfields. In contrast, space for new construction in the city centre is limited. This follows from data provided by the largest Czech residential developer, Central Group, presented at today’s press conference.

    Despite the high number of planned apartments, delays in permitting mean they are not being delivered to the market in time, according to Central Group CEO Dušan Kunovský. As a result, supply still does not meet demand, which leads to rising prices and worsening housing affordability. Faster development could be supported by Prague’s approved spatial plan and the proposed amendment to the building law currently under discussion.

  • 06/03/2026

    Due to the conflict of interest of PM Andrej Babiš, the anti-corruption organization Transparency International (TI) has filed a complaint with European Union institutions.

    The organization does not consider the transfer of shares in Babiš’s Agrofert into the RSVP Trust sufficient to resolve the issue. Babiš previously stated that by placing the shares into the trust, he considers the conflict of interest resolved.

    The State Agricultural Intervention Fund (SZIF), based on analyses conducted about a month ago, stated that the solution to the prime minister’s conflict of interest regarding Agrofert through a trust fund complies with both national and EU legislation. However, TI argues that these analyses are not objective and states that SZIF is knowingly acting in favor of the Agrofert holding.

  • 06/03/2026

    If its budget were reduced by approximately one billion Czech crowns, as envisaged in the government's proposed legislation from next year, Czech Television (ČT) would have to lay off between 300 and 500 employees. This was stated today at the Digimedia conference by deputy director-general Milan Fridrich. ČT currently employs nearly 3,000 people and operates with a budget of 8.5 billion crowns.

    According to Fridrich, in addition to mass layoffs and the associated severance costs, ČT would also have to cancel major production projects already underway, including drama productions. This would lead to further expenses in the form of contractual penalties for terminating projects.

    In 2028, the public broadcaster also faces the prospect of losing an additional 400 to 450 million crowns that it currently receives through an exemption allowing VAT deductions. This exemption is set to expire at the end of next year.

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