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In the first half of 2024, electricity production in the Czech Republic dropped by 5.6% year-on-year to around 36 TWh. Traditional energy sources, including nuclear and coal-fired plants, saw declines, while production from solar and wind energy increased. Solar power, particularly from small rooftop installations, grew by 28.4%. Concurrently, electricity consumption fell by 2.3%, with households reducing usage the most. Gas consumption also decreased by 7.9%, influenced by warmer weather and more efficient energy use. These trends reflect ongoing changes in energy production and consumption patterns in the country.

The Czech government coalition is finalizing amendments to the presidential election law, aiming to modernize and clarify the rules. News website Echo 24 informs that key changes include limiting each parliament member to supporting only one candidate and introducing electronic petitions for collecting signatures. These reforms, supported by the Senate's constitutional committee, are intended to prevent legal ambiguities and streamline the nomination process. Additionally, the proposal addresses concerns over personal data collection in electronic petitions. If passed, the new rules will apply to the 2028 presidential election. The Senate will vote on the amendments this week.

In 2023, the Czech Republic provided approximately CZK 15 billion in official development aid. The aid has increased significantly since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with much of the funding directed to assist Ukrainian refugees. According to Petr Gandalovič, Director of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, development projects, administered by the Czech Development Agency, continue to focus on six priority countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Moldova, and Zambia.

A clean-up operation is underway in the south-western parts of the country which were hit by severe storms on Sunday afternoon. The Strakonice and Prachatice regions were particularly hard hit, with flash floods reported in the town of Stachy and its surroundings.

Rain water and mudslides from fields made a number of smaller roads impassable and train traffic was suspended between Dačice and Slavonice in the Jindřichův Hradec region due to suspected erosion beneath a section of the railway line. The extent of the damage is being investigated.

Trains on the line from České Budějovice to Linz in Austria were also suspended due to fallen trees on the tracks, resulting in delays.

Prague’s international airport had 60 mm of rainfall in an hour and had to suspended check-ins until the storm abated.