News

The Czech Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ) has advised systemic reforms and budgetary caution in response to the country’s growing state spending and debt, highlighted in its review of the 2023 state financial report. Despite having a relatively low public debt-to-GDP ratio, the Czech Republic’s debt has risen rapidly, with public debt increasing by 50% over the past three years. NKÚ President Miloslav Kala emphasized the need for immediate reforms to improve the efficiency of public finances, warning that without such changes, the country’s fiscal health will continue to deteriorate.

The Czech Parliament is set to debate two versions of a law extending the EU emissions trading system to all fossil fuels by 2027, which could increase fuel prices by 2-3 CZK per liter. The draft of the bill is not public but was obtained by website SeznamZprávy.cz. One version proposes implementing the law gradually, deferring full responsibility to the next government, while the other seeks immediate implementation. The debate is complicated by upcoming regional elections, with concerns about the political impact of rising fuel costs. The law is part of the EU's Green Deal, which Czech politicians agreed to under previous governments.

Postponing the digitisation of construction permits system would cause more economic damage to Czechia than its launch in its current form, Regional Development Minister Ivan Bartoš said in a debate programme on Czech Television on Sunday.

According to Mr. Bartoš, the money for the system’s digitalization can be drawn from the National Recovery Plan, i.e. from European resources, but the condition is that the system be launched in the third quarter of 2024.

The Minister has been under fire for persisting problems with the newly digitized system which has drawn complaints from civil servants around the country. Mr. Bartoš repeated on Czech Television that he was not considering resigning.

A Czech citizen who was detained in the Zimbabwe on suspicion of spreading false information has been released and left the country, Czech consul Michal Novák told the Czech News Agency on Sunday.

The man was arrested on August 1st in Masvingo Province, about 300 kilometers south of Harare, after police overheard him recording a video in English describing Zimbabwe's poor economic conditions and frequent power and water outages. The police, responding to a nearby traffic accident, detained him on the spot.

Local media initially reported that the man faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted. However, the court found no unlawful intent or evidence of disturbing public order.