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The Czech Chamber of Deputies has restarted efforts to approve a controversial government bill increasing fees for public broadcasters Czech Television and Czech Radio despite continued opposition obstruction. The ruling coalition called an extraordinary session, but opposition leaders, led by ANO’s Andrej Babiš, are delaying proceedings with lengthy speeches. The bill proposes raising television's monthly fee by CZK 15 to CZK 150 and radio's by CZK 10 to CZK 55, extending the fee to internet-capable devices. Debate is restricted to Wednesdays and Fridays between 9:00 and 14:00.
Czech investment group PPF's telecom subsidiary, e& PPF Telecom, is acquiring a 100% stake in Serbian cable TV and broadband provider SBB for €825 million (CZK 20.7 billion). The deal, signed with United Group, awaits regulatory approval. e& PPF Telecom will take over SBB’s operations and 700,000+ customers, while SBB’s satellite division will be sold to Telekom Srbija. United Group will retain media assets, including N1 and Nova S channels. PPF already operates in Serbia through mobile provider Yettel and sees this acquisition as expanding its telecom services in the region.
Czechia’s net position towards the EU was CZK 83.2 billion in 2023, with CZK 74.2 billion coming from the NextGeneration EU (NGEU) recovery plan, the Finance Ministry reported. Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura (ODS) highlighted the near-doubling of NGEU funding compared to the previous year, supporting modernization and digitalization. Czechia received CZK 69 billion directly from the EU budget while contributing CZK 60 billion. Since joining the EU in 2004, Czechia has paid CZK 936.6 billion into the EU budget, receiving CZK 2.01 trillion, resulting in a net gain of CZK 1.22 trillion when including NGEU funds.
January’s slowdown in inflation growth is a positive sign, but rising food and service prices could pose risks in the coming months, analysts told ČTK. Consumer prices rose 2.8% year-on-year, slightly above market expectations. Economist Radomír Jáč predicts annual inflation slightly above 2%, with some months dipping below that level. Food prices surged, with butter up 40.5%, chocolate 27.8%, and eggs 24.7% year-on-year. Analysts also warn of inflationary pressures from global trade policies, including potential economic impacts from U.S. President Donald Trump’s protectionist measures.
A slight majority of Czech consumers expect to struggle more financially this year compared to 2024, while two-fifths fear an overall economic downturn, according to a survey by Ipsos for Generali Česká pojišťovna. However, economic optimism has grown, with 47% expecting financial improvement, a 10% rise from early 2024. Concerns over inflation have eased, while energy prices remain the top financial worry for 26% of respondents. Economist Radomír Jáč attributes rising optimism to stabilizing energy costs and falling inflation, which could boost consumer demand and support economic recovery.
After five hours of speeches by opposition leaders from ANO Party and Freedom and Democracy Party, the Czech Chamber of Deputies approved the agenda for an extraordinary session on raising fees for Czech public television and Czech radio. However, the final vote was postponed to Friday due to time limits. Opposition parties have blocked the bill for nearly 20 hours over four sessions. SPD leader Tomio Okamura vowed to abolish the fees and merge ČT and ČRo under state control if his party joins the next government. The bill proposes raising fees to CZK 150 for ČT and CZK 55 for ČRo while extending them to internet-capable devices.
Mostly cloudy skies with occasional rain mixed with snow across most areas. High temperatures will range from 0 to 4°C, reaching up to 6°C in South Bohemia and Silesia.
The Czech Society for Ornithology has named the grey wagtail as the Bird of the Year for 2025. This decision aims to highlight the crucial role that natural waterways play in supporting this striking, long-tailed bird, as well as a variety of other wildlife, communities, and landscapes. To learn more about the Bird of the Year, I spoke with ornithologist Petr Voříšek.
Recent reports have indicated that by the end of October last year, alcoholic beverages worth over CZK 924 million had been exported from Czechia to Russia over the course of ten months, with beer making up the largest share at CZK 820 million. But what do we truly know about Czech beer exports to Russia?
Martina Dvořáková was so tired of the gender imbalance in household labour in Czechia that she did something about it, creating a Fair Household audit. It’s a questionnaire that helps couples reflect on who does what in the home – and whether that division of work is truly equitable. I discussed several aspects of the project with Dvořáková, as well as why the term “feminist” continues to be frowned up in this country.
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