Politics & Economics

Should Alcohol Ads Be Banned? Czech Republic Considers New Rules

Alcohol consumption in the Czech Republic is once again under debate, as doctors, public health experts, and policymakers call for stricter rules on sales, advertising, and availability. Emerging data and mounting pressure are forcing politicians to consider legislative changes—some of which now appear in party platforms ahead of the next elections. According to statistics cited in Seznam Zprávy, the average Czech drinks over 160 liters of alcoholic beverages annually, equal to more than 9 liters of pure alcohol per person. Beer remains the dominant drink (46%), followed by spirits (28%) and wine (25%). But the figures that worry experts most involve teenagers. Nearly three-quarters of Czech 15-year-olds have already tried alcohol. Despite existing laws prohibiting sales to minors, availability remains high, and enforcement is patchy at best. Random police checks are carried out, but their effectiveness is limited. Price is also a factor—alcohol remains affordable even for teenagers, and the cultural norm treats drinking as a casual part of adolescence. “There is no such thing as a safe dose of alcohol,” said Dr. Tomáš Šebek, founder of the Minister of Health think tank. “People associate drinking with liver damage or pregnancy complications, but they overlook increased risks of cardiovascular disease...

 by Prague Morning Jul 24, 2025

Czechia Plans to Tighten Rules for Asylum Seekers and Migrants

The Czech Senate is expected to approve sweeping changes to the country’s migration and asylum laws during its session today. The legislation was submitted by the ruling coalition and is framed as a response to long-standing concerns about system abuse and capacity constraints. At the heart of the proposal is a set of measures that would give authorities greater control over the movement, identification, and accommodation of migrants and asylum seekers. The Ministry of the Interior says the changes are necessary to streamline the process for granting international protection, reduce opportunities for misuse, and strengthen public order and security. One of the most controversial aspects of the draft law is the use of mobile phone data by police and migration officers to verify the identity of migrants. The proposal would also introduce mandatory health screenings for epidemiological purposes and expand the powers of authorities to determine where asylum seekers are required to live—potentially obliging them to stay in state-run facilities. Another provision would allow the rejection of applications for temporary protection from Ukrainian nationals who have already been granted similar status in other EU countries. Repeat Offenders Face Removal Foreign nationals who commit three administrative offences in a single year—ranging...

 by Prague Morning Jul 23, 2025

For the First Time, Czech Politicians’ Salaries Will Exceed CZK 300,000

For the first time in history, the monthly salary of the Czech Prime Minister and heads of both parliamentary chambers will exceed CZK 300,000 before tax. The change is set to take effect in 2026, as part of a broader salary adjustment for public officials. The monthly salary of the Prime Minister and the speakers of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate will rise to CZK 308,700, which is CZK 14,700 more than the current amount. President Petr Pavel will also see his pay increase. His monthly salary will climb to CZK 383,200, up CZK 18,200 from 2025. In addition to this, the president is entitled to CZK 250,200 in compensation payments, and his wife will receive CZK 106,500. The base salaries of ordinary MPs will rise by CZK 5,500, bringing their monthly income to CZK 115,000. Ministers will earn CZK 219,300, and deputy speakers of parliament will receive the same. The Deputy Prime Minister will earn CZK 265,100, an increase of CZK 12,700. Committee leadership roles will also come with higher pay. Chairpersons of parliamentary committees, commissions, and delegations will earn CZK 161,800, an increase of CZK 7,700. Deputy chairpersons and heads of subcommittees will receive CZK 138,400,...

 by Prague Morning Jul 22, 2025
czech cannabis consumption

Czech President Signs Bill to Decriminalize Recreational Cannabis for Personal Use

President Petr Pavel has signed a bill on July 17th that decriminalizes recreational cannabis for personal use and home cultivation, but not its sale. Under the new regulations, adults over the age of 21 can legally grow up to three cannabis plants per person and possess up to 100 grams of cannabis flower, with a public possession limit of 25 grams. Cannabis-related offenses involving amounts exceeding the legal limits will be addressed in a separate section of the Criminal Code. Possession of cannabis on behalf of another person will also no longer be considered a criminal offense. The legislation will take effect next year. However, the sale of cannabis products will remain prohibited. The Czech Republic has also legalized the medical use of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms, for the treatment of conditions such as depression. It is among the first European countries to do so. The decriminalization of use and home cultivation of recreational cannabis is part of a wider criminal code reform aimed at modernizing the justice system, easing prison overcrowding, and cutting public spending on minor offenses. The Czech Republic has had a tolerant approach to recreational cannabis, decriminalizing small amounts since 2010. The...

 by Prague Morning Jul 19, 2025

Czechia and UK Sign Nuclear Energy Cooperation Deal in London

The Czech Republic has signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Kingdom on cooperation in nuclear energy, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said yesterday after a meeting with his British counterpart Keir Starmer in London. He said the British firm Rolls-Royce was considering building a factory for small modular reactors in the Czech Republic. Britain last month pledged 2.5 billion pounds to build SMRs, which it hopes can help increase energy security and help the country meet its climate targets while also creating export opportunities and jobs. SMRs can be made in factories, with parts small enough to be transported on trucks and barges and assembled more quickly and cheaply than large-scale nuclear plants. “By working with our Czech partners on small modular reactors, we’re backing British engineering, strengthening our industrial base, and putting the UK in a leading position to export the technologies of the future,” UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer said in a statement from Britain’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero that also quoted his Czech counterpart. “We are creating conditions for small modular reactors to be built in the Czech Republic. I think it would be a very suitable complement to the construction of...

 by Prague Morning Jul 15, 2025

Veggie Burger? No, Thanks. Czech Ministry Wants EU to Protect ‘Meat’ Names

The Czech Republic is reviving its push to protect traditional meat product names—this time, across the European Union. Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný (KDU-ČSL) has submitted a proposal supported by 18 EU member states, calling on the European Commission to restrict plant-based producers from using terms like “vegan sausage” or “soy schnitzel.” The move echoes existing rules around dairy alternatives, where terms like “milk” or “yogurt” are reserved exclusively for animal-based products. Supporters argue that consumers can be misled by familiar meat-related terms used on plant-based packaging. Critics, however, say the proposal reflects pressure from industrial meat lobbies—not a genuine concern for transparency. At a June meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Luxembourg, Deputy Minister Miroslav Skřivánek claimed such a policy would “protect consumers from misleading information” and reduce fragmented food labeling rules across Europe. Backing the Czech initiative are heavyweights France and Italy, as well as Ireland, Austria, Portugal, and Spain. In contrast, domestic reaction has been mixed. Just one week after the proposal was introduced, a coalition of Czech food producers, retailers, and associations issued an open letter urging Výborný to withdraw the proposal. Signatories included Globus, Rohlik.cz, the Czech Trade and Tourism Association, and the Association of Hotels...

 by Prague Morning Jul 13, 2025

Eurostat: Czechs Work 200 Hours More per Year Than Germans

New data from Eurostat reveals that the average Czech employee works 37.8 hours per week — nearly four hours more than workers in Germany or Austria. Over the course of a year, that adds up to 200 extra hours, or five additional full working weeks. Yet despite the longer hours, Czech wages remain far lower than those in neighboring countries. “Over a lifetime, a Czech worker puts in several more years of labor compared to someone in Germany,” said Jiří Vaňásek, Vice-Chair of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions. In fact, when those weekly differences are accumulated across a working life, the gap becomes hard to ignore: Czechs can expect to work around four years longer than Germans — and some union estimates suggest the gap may be even wider due to older baseline data and changing trends in working hours. Long Hours, Low Wages The average Czech working life spans about 38 years, though this can vary based on education. And the compensation doesn’t match the time invested. A 2024 report from Mazars shows the average private-sector monthly wage in the Czech Republic was CZK 46,557, compared to CZK 116,682 in Germany and CZK 126,125 in Austria (converted from...

 by Prague Morning Jul 12, 2025

Bulgaria Is Heading for the Eurozone. Should the Czech Republic Join?

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...

 by Prague Morning Jul 11, 2025

Czech Government Bans DeepSeek Usage in Public Administration

The Czech government banned the use of any services of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek in the Czech public administration due to security concerns, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Wednesday. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said the government acted after receiving a warning from the national cybersecurity watchdog. The watchdog flagged a threat of unauthorised access to users’ data because DeepSeek is obliged to cooperate with Chinese state authorities. The move follows similar steps made by some other countries that aimed to protect users’ data, including Italy, which in January blocked access to the chatbot, as well as Australia. Last month, a German privacy official called on Apple and Google to ban DeepSeek from its app stores over privacy concerns. The Czech government has distanced itself from some Chinese technology in recent years. In 2018, it stopped using the hardware and software made by telecommunications companies Huawei and ZTE after a warning they posed a security threat. DeepSeek and the Chinese embassy in Prague did not immediately respond to requests for comment. DeepSeek shook the technology world in January with claims that it had developed an AI model to rival those from U.S. firms such as ChatGPT creator OpenAI at...

 by Prague Morning Jul 10, 2025

Czech President Pavel Sees No Quick End to War in Ukraine

The full-scale war between Ukraine and Russia could continue for years if the current dynamics remain unchanged, Czech President Petr Pavel said in an interview with the BBC published on July 8. He noted that while Russian forces have managed to occupy parts of Ukrainian territory, it has come at a high cost in lives and equipment. “So far, Ukraine’s defense has been successful because it is inflicting significant damage on Russian forces,” Pavel said. “They are able to hold their positions, especially in key areas. And if the war continues this way, it could go on for years. This situation is unacceptable for everyone.” The Czech leader stressed that in addition to supporting Ukraine, it is vital to increase pressure on Russia and demonstrate that “there is no victory to be had on the battlefield.” On June 7, Pavel said that every effort must be made not only to end the war in Ukraine but also to ensure that the war does not spread to Czechia. The Czech Republic is the driving force behind an initiative to supply Ukraine with 1 million artillery shells sourced from third countries. In 2025, Ukraine is expected to receive up to 1.8 million...

 by Prague Morning Jul 08, 2025

Czexit Talk Returns: Okamura’s SPD Rises Ahead of October Vote

With the general election approaching in October, Tomio Okamura’s Freedom and Direct Democracy party (SPD) is once again drawing attention — not with dramatic new proposals, but by quietly strengthening its position on the political map. Recent polling suggests SPD is holding steady between 13 and 17 percent. That might not be enough to lead the next government, but it’s more than enough to influence who does. And that possibility is making both Prime Minister Petr Fiala and opposition leader Andrej Babiš uneasy. Fiala’s centre-right Spolu coalition is battling flagging approval ratings. Babiš, despite leading most surveys, isn’t guaranteed a majority. If he falls short, he may have to consider working with Okamura — someone he’s previously dismissed as too radical for mainstream politics. But Okamura isn’t repeating the same slogans that made headlines in past campaigns. Instead, he’s adjusted his tone. The word “Czexit” has all but vanished from his speeches. In its place: calls for national referenda on EU membership and more direct public say in decisions involving Brussels. At a recent campaign stop in Ústí nad Labem, he told supporters, “We’re not talking about leaving Europe. We’re talking about returning power to the Czech people.” The message...

 by Prague Morning Jul 07, 2025

EU Unemployment Steady at 5.9% – Czechia and Malta Report Lowest Rates

The European Union’s unemployment rate remained unchanged in May 2025, holding at 5.9 percent, according to seasonally adjusted data released by Eurostat. This marks no change from April’s figures, though compared to May last year, the rate dipped slightly by 0.1 percentage point. Among EU member states, Malta and the Czech Republic posted the lowest unemployment rates, at 2.7 and 2.8 percent respectively. Both countries saw a modest increase of 0.1 percentage point compared to the previous month. By contrast, Spain and Finland reported the highest unemployment levels within the bloc. Spain’s jobless rate reached 10.8 percent, while Finland followed with nine percent. Across the eurozone, which covers countries using the single currency, the situation slightly worsened. The unemployment rate climbed to 6.3 percent, up from 6.2 percent in April, but still better than 6.4 percent recorded in May 2024. In total, Eurostat estimates there were approximately 13.05 million unemployed people in the EU during May. Within the euro area, that figure stood at 10.83 million. Month-on-month, the number of jobless individuals in the EU rose by 48,000, with the eurozone contributing 54,000 to that increase. On a year-on-year basis, however, unemployment numbers declined by 23,000 in the EU and...

 by Prague Morning Jul 02, 2025

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