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Average fuel prices in the Czech Republic have risen again in week-on-week comparison. The average price of the best-selling petrol, Natural 95, is now CZK 42.80 per litre at domestic petrol stations, 1.14 CZK more than a week ago.

Diesel, however, has fallen by 49 hellers to an average of CZK 43.31, according to data from CCS, which tracks fuel prices. The maximum price, which the Ministry of Finance began publishing daily in response to sharp increases in fuel costs following the outbreak of fighting in the Middle East, is currently CZK 44.52 for petrol. Diesel may be sold at a maximum of CZK 44.60 per litre.

Fuel prices at Czech petrol stations are not expected to change significantly in the coming days. The oil market situation remains tense despite recent price declines, and further developments will depend on the geopolitical situation.

President Petr Pavel will meet next Tuesday in Bratislava with his Slovak and Austrian counterparts at a summit of the Slavkov Format. He will then travel to Romania for the Bucharest Nine (B9) summit.

While in Slovakia the president and his counterparts will discuss issues such as energy security, the B9 countries will focus on preparations for the July summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), including defence spending and support for Ukraine.

Pavel will fly to Bratislava on Tuesday morning. Together with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, he will discuss current foreign policy issues, including energy security, during a working lunch aboard a boat cruising on the Danube.

Household spending in the Czech Republic is increasing, even though inflation remained below two percent at the start of this year. According to a survey conducted by the Ipsos agency for Home Credit, 65 percent of households now have higher monthly expenses than a year ago, with higher food prices and overall price increases being the main reasons.

People are trying to save money mainly on travel, but also on food and clothing.

“The data show that most households perceive higher expenses today, but rising prices hit lower-income budgets the hardest. Among households with an income of up to CZK 30,000, 29 percent of respondents reported a significant increase in expenses, while among households earning more than CZK 70,000, it was only eight percent. Women and people aged 45 to 53 also perceive rising costs more strongly,” said Home Credit chief analyst Jaroslav Ondrušek.

The ANO party would win the Chamber of Deputies elections by a wide margin if they were held in May, according to a poll conducted by the NMS agency for Právo daily. The ruling ANO would receive 32.5 percent of the vote. The second-placed ODS would be supported by 14.8 percent of voters, while the STAN party would come third with 14.5 percent.

SPD and the Pirates would also enter parliament. The governing Motorists party would remain below the five-percent threshold needed to secure seats in the Chamber of Deputies. The new party Naše Česko (“Our Czechia”), led by South Bohemian governor Martin Kuba (formerly of ODS), dropped to 2.8 percent compared to the previous poll.