• Lower house backs replacement of Civil Service Act
    01/30/2026

    After nearly eight hours of debate on Thursday, the Chamber of Deputies supported in the first reading a proposal to replace the existing Civil Service Act with a new law. The governing coalition says the new legislation on state employees would make it easier to replace senior officials and increase flexibility in the civil service, while reducing administrative burden, rigidity and outdated bureaucratic practices. Opposition politicians have criticized the proposal, arguing it was not prepared by the government but by MPs and is not accompanied by thorough analyses of its impacts. They objected in particular to plans allowing ministers to appoint and dismiss state secretaries and to abolish service commissions after one year, bodies that civil servants can turn to for protection against pressure. The current Civil Service Act, aimed at depoliticizing public administration, has been in force since 2015.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Czech Republic to end hard coal mining after 250 years
    01/30/2026

    The Czech Republic is set to end hard coal mining after 250 years. Operations at the country’s last deep coal mine, the ČSM mine in the Karviná region, will cease at the end of January, with the final cart of coal expected to be brought to the surface on Saturday, closing one of the key chapters of Czech industry that shaped the region as well as the country’s economy and energy sector.

    The technical liquidation of the ČSM mine is expected to take around three years, during which OKD will retain about 600 employees. At the same time, the company is launching a new business plan extending to 2050, including the capture and use of mine gas. Mining of brown coal in the Czech Republic is also due to finish by 2030.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • ČEZ cuts fixed energy prices by up to tens of percent year-on-year
    01/30/2026

    The biggest Czech energy company ČEZ has lowered fixed energy prices for new customers from today, with gas prices falling year on year by up to 40 percent and some fixed electricity tariffs by around ten percent. The biggest drop applies to three-year fixed gas contracts, now priced at CZK 1,060 per MWh including VAT. According to ČEZ, demand for fixed tariffs remains strong, especially for gas. Other suppliers are also cutting prices. E.ON has introduced a fully digital tariff, while innogy and Pražská energetika have announced further reductions in recent months.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Zelensky praises Czech support for Ukraine
    01/30/2026

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has praised the Czech Republic for its long-term support in defending Ukraine against Russian aggression. In an exclusive interview with Czech Radio, he expressed deep gratitude to the country and its citizens. Zelensky highlighted a recent fundraising drive by the charity Dárek pro Putina (Gift for Putin), which raised more than CZK 165 million in just days to buy generators for Ukrainians facing harsh winter conditions amid Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. He also mentioned the Czech ammunition initiative and the country’s acceptance of Ukrainian refugees. Zelensky said the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, which he recently awarded to Czech President Petr Pavel in Kyiv, belongs to all Czech citizens.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • FM Macinka and Turek to meet Slovak environment minister in Prague
    01/30/2026

    Acting Czech environment minister Petr Macinka will meet his Slovak counterpart Tomáš Taraba in Prague today. The talks and a subsequent briefing will also be attended by Filip Turek, an MP for the Motorists’ party and the government’s climate policy and Green Deal envoy. President Petr Pavel previously refused to appoint Turek as environment minister, citing his controversial statements and alleged lack of respect for the legal order. The cabinet later named Turek an envoy. Macinka, who also serves as deputy prime minister and foreign minister, has said Turek will coordinate climate policy across ministries and represent Czechia at some EU and international talks.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Pupils and students in Czechia enjoy extended weekend thanks to mid-year break
    01/30/2026

    Pupils and secondary school students across Czechia have a day off today for the traditional one-day mid-year school break, extending their weekend. Many zoos, museums and other attractions are offering special programmes or discounted admission for children. In Prague Zoo, children under 15 can enter for a symbolic fee if they bring an old mobile phone for recycling, supporting wildlife protection projects. In 14 districts, the break will be followed by spring holidays starting on Monday. Cold weather with light snowfall is expected to create good conditions in the mountains, while cities are offering ice rinks and indoor activities for families.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Czech Foreign Minister Macinka to visit US for first time in office next week
    01/29/2026

    Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka will visit the United States next week for the first time since taking office, he announced on social media. At the invitation of US Secretary of State, he will attend a ministerial conference on critical minerals in Washington on 4 February. Macinka also plans meetings with US lawmakers, investors and representatives of the conservative think-tank The Heritage Foundation. He said the conference may also be attended by US Vice President J.D. Vance. The trip will prevent him from attending a no-confidence vote in the Czech parliament.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Aero could deliver first Skyfox jets next year if Ukraine shows interest
    01/29/2026

    If Ukraine were to express interest in L-39 Skyfox aircraft, the first planes could be delivered at the start of next year, Viktor Sotona, president of aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody, told ČTK. The multi-role Skyfox jets could be supplied instead of four L-159 aircraft from the Czech military, which Ukraine had previously sought. Defence Minister Jaromír Zůna of the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party has said such a sale would not be advantageous for Czechia. Sotona said the company is analysing production capacity and possible adjustments to ensure a rapid response should Ukraine formally request the aircraft.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Babiš rules out sacking foreign minister Macinka, praises cooperation
    01/29/2026

    Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, the ANO party leader, said he is not considering dismissing Foreign Minister Petr Macinka of the Motorists' party, adding that cooperation with him is excellent. Babiš said opposition parties and the media are trying to destabilise the governing coalition, but will not succeed. The ANO-led government, together with the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party and the Motorists' party, is expected to face an opposition no-confidence vote over text messages sent by Macinka to Petr Pavel, which the president described as attempted blackmail. Macinka rejects that interpretation.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Bird flu confirmed in dead swan in Northern Bohemia
    01/29/2026

    Highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed in a dead swan found at Lake Most near the city of Most. Tests identified the H5N1 virus, which has appeared in recent years in both large and small poultry holdings in Czechia, the local authority said on its website. The swan was found on 20 January and examined by the State Veterinary Institute in Prague. The State Veterinary Administration has urged breeders in Most and the surrounding area to increase biosecurity measures and report any unusual bird deaths or symptoms immediately.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

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