Bulgaria is set to join the eurozone in January 2026, after meeting all the necessary criteria. The European Commission, European Central Bank, and EU finance ministers confirmed the country’s readiness in June. Bulgaria’s currency, the lev, has been pegged to the euro since 1999, so this move finalizes its long-standing monetary policy approach and gives the country full voting rights within the ECB Governing Council. However, public opinion in Bulgaria remains divided. Nearly half of the population opposes the euro, mainly due to concerns over price increases — similar to what Croatia experienced after switching to the euro in 2023 — and fears about losing national control over economic decisions. Czechia Maintains the Koruna – But Moves Closer to the Euro in Practice Unlike Bulgaria, the Czech Republic has taken no concrete steps toward joining the eurozone, despite being formally committed to adoption since entering the EU. Along with Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Sweden, Czechia has delayed entry indefinitely, citing political and economic concerns. Support for adopting the euro remains consistently low. In 2024, just 20% of Czechs supported euro adoption, while 80% were opposed. Around half of those were strongly against it. The main reasons include fear of rising...
Czech police have arrested a man suspected of planning a terrorist attack on a military site, reportedly under the direction of Russian intelligence, according to the investigative outlet Odkryto.cz. The suspect—a 52-year-old taxi driver based in Prague—was allegedly preparing to attack a military facility using explosives. While the target is not officially confirmed, sources suggest it was connected to the Czech ammunition initiative, a key defense program. The man reportedly operated a registered company in Prague’s Žižkov district, owned by a Ukrainian national. Although Czech authorities have not confirmed the alleged plot, the Security Information Service (BIS) issued a public statement through the police’s account on X, noting that they are “evaluating information from both domestic and international partners.” They reassured the public that there is currently no specific threat identified. The report comes just a day after BIS released its annual security assessment, which warned of increasing Russian and Chinese intelligence activity in Czechia. According to the agency, Russian operatives are actively attempting to recruit agents across Europe to execute acts of sabotage and disruption. This latest incident echoes the 2014 explosions in Vrbětice, where two GRU agents from Russia’s military intelligence were linked to a deadly ammunition depot...
Bolt’s car-sharing service, Bolt Drive, has been operating in Prague for a year. During this period, it has become a common option for many residents and visitors for short-term car rentals. Users have driven millions of kilometers, with some rentals extending for several weeks. The most frequently used vehicles include compact models such as the Audi A1, Toyota Yaris, and the widely recognized “pistachio” Škoda Fabia. There has also been an increase in demand for premium vehicles. Fabián Strecker, Senior Operations Manager for Bolt Drive in the Czech Republic, notes that the service is now part of daily life for many in Prague. Some users rely on it regularly for work commutes, weekend trips, or short travel, with the most frequent user completing over 1,400 trips in one year. Popular Vehicles and Growing Interest in Premium Cars The Audi A1, Toyota Yaris, and the “pistachio” Škoda Fabia remain the most popular models. One Audi A1 in the fleet logged nearly 50,000 kilometers in a year. Interest in premium vehicles such as the Volvo V90 has also grown, particularly for business travel and weekend use, with users appreciating their comfort and safety features. Trip Patterns Data shows that around 80% of...
Restaurant lunches in Czechia have become more expensive again, continuing a trend that’s hitting consumers across the country. A new report by Edenred, a firm that specializes in employee benefits, shows that lunch prices have outpaced wage growth significantly over the past decade, leaving many Czechs paying more for less. According to Edenred’s annual survey, the average lunch menu in Czechia now costs 196 CZK. But in cities like Prague (220 CZK) and Brno (208 CZK), prices are even higher. In contrast, diners in regions like Zlín and Olomouc pay around 170 CZK, making them the most affordable areas for eating out. “From 2014 until now, lunch menu prices have risen by 130%, but average wages have only grown by 82%,” said Aneta Martišková, Edenred’s director of external relations. Rising costs of food and labor are driving the price surge The increase isn’t just about inflation. Restaurant operators point to sharp rises in ingredient costs—20 to 30 percent more expensive than just a few years ago—and the need to pay staff more competitively in a tight labor market. “Running a restaurant today is far more expensive than it used to be. Raw materials are pricier, and good staff need proper...
Summer is taking a break across Czechia this week as a series of cold fronts sweep through Central Europe, dragging in cooler, damp air from the northwest. The cooling began Monday, when a wavy cold front moved eastward across the country. Storms rolled through overnight into the morning hours, bringing rain and noticeably lower temperatures. Daytime highs hovered between 20 and 24°C, though some western parts briefly reached 26°C. Overnight, the mercury dipped to as low as 12°C in the west, with a moderate southwest to west wind persisting throughout the day. The situation is expected to worsen by Tuesday night into Wednesday, when a secondary cold front and a low-pressure system over eastern Poland deepen. These systems are set to keep skies cloudy to overcast, with persistent and sometimes heavy rainfall, particularly in Moravia and Silesia. By Wednesday, the west of the country may see partial clearing, with isolated afternoon showers. In contrast, the east will remain cloudy and wet, with ongoing heavy rain possible in northeastern regions. Daytime temperatures will peak between 18 and 22°C, though in rain-affected zones, they may remain around 16°C. Winds from the northwest will pick up, with gusts reaching 15 m/s. A split...
Power has been fully restored across the Czech Republic following a widespread blackout that disrupted electricity supplies to Prague, parts of eastern Bohemia, and several northern and central regions, including Liberec, Ústí nad Labem, and the Central Bohemian Region. According to ČEPS, the national transmission system operator, all substations are now operational, and electricity distribution is gradually stabilizing across the affected areas. The outage struck around midday on Friday, causing extensive disruptions in both residential and public infrastructure. In Prague, large areas went dark, with two-thirds of the city temporarily without electricity. “The outage primarily hit the right bank of the Vltava River,” said Jan Bílek, spokesperson for Pražská energetika (PRE), in a statement to Czech Television. Substations in Malešice and Chodov were among those knocked offline. For a brief period, Řeporyje was the only operational substation serving the capital. By around 2:15 p.m., ČEPS confirmed that all Prague-area substations were back online. PRE’s Petr Holubec reported that by 2:30 p.m., most districts in Prague had their power restored. He acknowledged that some outer areas, including Letňany and Černý Most, might have experienced delays, but were also expected to be reconnected shortly. However, as of 2:50 p.m., households in Vršovice...
Klára Kolouchová, the first Czech woman to reach the summits of Mount Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga, has died during an expedition on Nanga Parbat, Pakistan’s ninth-highest mountain. She was 46. Initial reports from local media in Pakistan offered conflicting explanations. Some early accounts suggested an oxygen tank explosion, while a more recent article in The Pamir Times stated that Kolouchová fell between Camp 1 and Camp 2 at around 4 a.m. on Thursday. “Her teammates later confirmed her death after returning to Base Camp, though her body remains at the site of the fall,” said Nizamuddin, Additional Deputy Commissioner of the Diamir district, in a statement to The Pamir Times. Kolouchová was accompanied on the expedition by her husband and five other climbers. They arrived at Nanga Parbat’s Base Camp on June 17. It remains unclear whether they were operating as an independent team or as part of a larger group. Climbers on Nanga Parbat this season have described challenging conditions, including unusually high temperatures, bare ice, and frequent rockfalls. The snowline begins only after Camp 3, forcing climbers to navigate steep rock faces and ice sections using the front points of their crampons. The Pakistan Alpine Club has confirmed...
Czech lawmakers are backing a plan to increase the nightly accommodation tax for short-term visitors to align Czech tourist destinations with other European cities. A group of MPs has introduced an amendment to the tourism business law that would allow municipalities to raise the maximum nightly fee from 50 to 100 Czech crowns per person. The measure, if passed, would affect stays of up to 60 days and leave the final decision on pricing to local governments. One of the amendment’s backers, Michal Zuna of the TOP 09 party, argued that the increase brings the Czech Republic more in line with its European peers. “It’s a 100 percent increase, from 50 to 100 crowns. Four euros — that’s a mid-range amount in the European context,” he explained. The proposal has broad cross-party support and is signed by MPs from several parties, including STAN, ODS, and TOP 09. They argue that the current cap, set in 2021, is outdated and fails to reflect the financial demands posed by modern tourism, especially in areas dominated by short-term rental platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com. Supporters of the hike say municipalities are struggling to fund infrastructure and public services in the face of mass...
Czech Railways has begun testing high-speed satellite internet provided by Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starlink network on its InterPanter trains in an attempt to improve onboard internet access for passengers across the country’s rail network. The test phase will run for approximately three months, after which the state-owned company will assess the results and consider a broader rollout. The announcement was made at a press conference on Tuesday by Transport Minister Martin Kupka. “We want Czech Railways to offer the best possible service for passengers. And I firmly believe that this is another step that will help it in the future,” Kupka said. Michal Krapinec, Chairman and CEO of Czech Railways, explained the motivation behind the project. “We believe that satellite internet can be the answer to the question of how to provide our passengers with a stable and fast internet connection even where there is no quality signal from mobile operators available in the vicinity of the line. Unfortunately, there are still plenty of such white spots on the domestic railway network,” he said. “Thanks to it, we will have a faster internet connection during the journey. We can work on the train, watch videos, or play games — just...
On Saturday, July 5, we celebrate the arrival of the Slavic evangelists Cyril and Methodius in the Czech lands, and on Sunday, July 6, we commemorate the Day of the Burning of Master Jan Hus. On March 1, 2016, a law restricting sales in areas of more than 200 square meters was enacted. It typically applies to large shopping centers and supermarkets, excluding small convenience stores, “večerky,” gas stations, and pharmacies. Will the shops be open this year? The answer is yes, for most. These public holidays are not subject to the Retail and Wholesale Sales Hours Act, which came into force on 1 October 2016. According to this law, stores over 200 square meters must be closed during designated public holidays. In addition to stores, second-hand stores, pawnbrokers and similar shops must remain closed. The law also divides public holidays into two categories according to whether or not the stores are closed. Public holidays when stores must be closed: January 1 – New Year’s Day April 1 – Easter Monday May 8 – Liberation Day September 28 – Statehood Day October 28 – Independence Day December 24 – Christmas Eve (after 12:00 pm) December 25 – Christmas Day December 26 – 2nd Day of Christmas Public holidays when stores can be open: March 29 – Good Friday May 1 – May...
If you’re commuting in Prague, consider yourself lucky. A new European comparison shows that the Czech capital ranks among the cheapest cities for public transport, while German cities dominate the top of the price charts. According to a survey by the HousingAnywhere platform, which analyzed ticket prices in 54 European cities, Munich leads the list as the most expensive place to buy a single public transport ticket, charging €4.10 per ride within the city center. Other German cities also rank high for cost. Stockholm came second at €3.94, followed by Hamburg (€3.90), with Berlin and Frankfurt (both €3.80) in joint fourth. The top ten also includes Cologne, Hanover, Essen, Düsseldorf, and Dortmund, where single fares range between €3.60 and €3.80, according to the German daily Bild. By comparison, Prague stands out at the affordable end, with a single ticket costing just €1.20. This places it alongside Athens, and below cities like Budapest, Vilnius, and several Polish cities including Warsaw, Wrocław, and Kraków. The cheapest tickets in Europe are found in Zagreb (€0.53), Bucharest (€0.60), Warsaw (€0.80), and Sofia (€0.82). The study notes that up to 12.5% of a household’s monthly budget in the EU goes toward mobility, making transport costs...
The Czech Republic is heading into one of the hottest weeks of the year, with the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) issuing a heat warning that could remain in effect for several days. A large high-pressure system moving eastward from Central Europe is driving the extreme temperatures. While the current heat alert was initially issued through Monday, meteorologists expect it will likely be extended into the middle and possibly the end of the week. According to ČHMÚ, Monday and Tuesday will bring daytime highs between 27°C and 32°C, with slightly cooler conditions in the northeast, where temperatures will range between 24°C and 27°C. The situation is expected to worsen from Wednesday, with temperatures climbing to 35°C, followed by Thursday, when parts of the country could experience up to 37°C. Skies will remain clear and sunny throughout the day, further increasing the risk of heat-related health issues. In response to the soaring temperatures, ČHMÚ has issued clear advice for the public. “It’s important to follow a proper drinking regimen, preferably by increasing the intake of unsweetened soft drinks and mineral water,” the institute said. “People should also limit physical activities, especially during the afternoon hours, when the heat peaks.” By Friday, a...
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