Müller, a prominent German retail chain known for its drugstores, toys, and other consumer goods, is preparing to expand further east. The company plans to open its first store in Slovakia this year, with the Czech Republic likely to follow. However, entering the Czech market won’t be easy, as it is already dominated by established players such as dm, Teta, and Rossmann. The recent entry of the Polish drugstore chain Hebe has further intensified the competition. In mid-August, Müller announced its intention to continue expanding into Slovakia, where it has already registered a dedicated internet domain. “Müller has successfully operated in neighboring countries like Austria and Hungary for many years, and also has positive experience in Slovenia and Croatia, making it well-prepared for its entry into Slovakia,” the company stated. However, the company’s ambitions appear to extend beyond Slovakia. Müller has posted a job opening on its website for an expansion manager for both Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Many in the Czech retail industry expect Müller to enter the Czech market soon, although the company has not confirmed when this might happen. Zdeněk Skála, managing director of analytics firm Skála a Šulc, agrees. “While the market is saturated with...
Fuel prices in the Czech Republic have dropped to their lowest levels since February, with petrol priced between 35 and 38 crowns per liter and diesel even a crown cheaper. This decline has led to an unexpected trend: Polish drivers are now crossing the border to fill up in the Czech Republic, taking advantage of the more affordable prices. The town of Zlaté Hory in Jesenice, located just a short distance from the Polish border, used to see only a few cars a day at its petrol stations. Most of these were Czech vehicles heading to Poland to refuel, as prices were more favorable there. However, the situation has changed dramatically. Petrol stations in Poland, such as those in Chalupki near Ostrava, now charge nearly three crowns more per liter compared to Czech prices. As a result, Czech vehicles have disappeared from Polish stations, while cars with Polish license plates are becoming a common sight at Czech border petrol stations. “Since prices have risen in Poland, they are coming here to fill up,” noted the operator of a petrol station in Zlaté Hory. Economist Lukáš Kovanda attributes the lower fuel prices in the Czech Republic to two key factors. “Firstly,...
Around ten prime ministers and presidents and 20 defence and foreign ministers from Europe, the Middle East and south-east Asia are coming to Prague this week for the Globsec international security conference. The event will now be held in Prague from August 30 to September 1. About 2,000 guests from more than 60 countries are expected to attend the conference. “Globsec is a significant international conference contributing to the cultivation of dialogue on international and security policy questions, which is very needed in today’s world,” Pavel stated, adding he is looking forward to the Prague Forum, which “will highlight its Central European dimension”. The 2023 edition of Globsec hosted French President Emmanuel Macron, and the forum has long been the highest-profile international event in Slovakia. “The rich history and the strategic significance of Prague turns it into an ideal place for support of international dialogue and spreading of the constructive voice of Central Europe,” Globsec’s founder and president Robert Vass was quoted as saying by Czech media. The conference is also supposed to see the establishment of a centre under the leadership of General John Allen, formerly US President Barack Obama’s adviser on the fight against the Islamic State, Vass...
The Czech Republic will use some of the interest earned on Russian assets frozen in the European Union to buy hundreds of thousands more artillery shells for Ukraine. Western countries blocked about $300 billion worth of sovereign Russian assets after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. EU countries are taking the interest earned on the assets -which include bonds and other securities bought by the Russian central bank – and putting it into an EU fund to aid Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion. EU governments agreed in June to use 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in profits generated by the assets to buy arms and pay for other kinds of support to Ukraine. The Czech Defence Ministry said some of that money would be used for an effort it has been leading to buy artillery ammunition for Ukraine around the world, funded by Western partners. “Thanks to proceeds from frozen Russian finances, released by the European Union, we will be able to supply several hundreds of thousands of large-calibre ammunition rounds to Ukraine,” minister Jana Cernochova said. The ministry did not give further details but said deliveries would be made “in the coming months”,...
Czech President Petr Pavel believes that Ukraine’s NATO accession should not depend on regaining full control over all its territory. “If there is a demarcation, even of some administrative border, then we will be able to recognize this administrative border as a temporary state border and allow Ukraine to join NATO with the territory it will control at that moment,” he explained. Pavel mentioned an example of Germany which joined the Alliance in 1955, even though a part of its territory was occupied by the Soviet Union until 1990. “So I think that there is both a technical and a legal decision which will allow Ukraine to join NATO without dragging it into the conflict with the Russian Federation,” Pavel said, adding that it would only be possible after the start of negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. He stressed that democratic countries should treat Russia-occupied territories of Ukraine only as temporarily occupied. The July NATO summit in Washington ended with the launch of the Ukraine Compact, a security framework signed by 32 allies. The countries affirmed Kyiv’s “irreversible” path toward membership, though Ukraine did not receive any definitive news about its future accession. President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has repeatedly called...
Czech beer exports dropped by 4.3% in 2023, falling to 5.7 million hectolitres, according to data from the Czech Association of Brewers. This decline mirrors the overall stagnation in the global beer market, with consumption still below pre-COVID-19 levels and not expected to fully recover until 2027, according to Statista. Despite this dip, more than one in four Czech beers is exported, making the international market crucial for local brewers. While overall Czech beer exports have nearly tripled over the past 25 years, recent declines have not affected all brewers equally. Heineken, in particular, saw its export volume drop by over half, losing 265,000 hectolitres. This reduction, attributed to either market shifts in Russia or changes in Heineken’s European export strategy, knocked the company from fourth to fifth among Czech exporters. Despite this, Heineken’s domestic sales remained stable. Plzeňský Prazdroj, the dominant player in both the domestic and export markets, also experienced a decline, with a 7.25% drop in physical exports. However, when including licensed production brewed abroad, Prazdroj’s overall export volume remained relatively steady. Pilsner Urquell, its flagship product, continues to be brewed exclusively in Plzen, while the more mainstream Kozel brand is also produced under license internationally. Budvar’s...
The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs Marian Jurečka has officially distanced itself from Prague Pride, an event that supports LGBT+ minorities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals. According to Deník N, the ministry recently requested the removal of its logo from the Prague Pride website after the Alliance for the Family publicly questioned its support for the event pointing out that Christian Democrat Marian Jurečka leads the ministry. Eliška Černá, the spokesperson for Prague Pride, confirmed, “On Wednesday, we received a call from a Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs employee asking us to remove the logo because the ministry no longer supports the association.” The ministry stated that any previous financial support for Prague Pride occurred under a different administration. “Since there has been no support from the ministry for several years, the logo on the Prague Pride website was a leftover from the past administration, which the organizers forgot to remove,” the ministry clarified in a press release. The ministry’s statement comes amid heightened security measures for the upcoming Prague Pride festival. The Czech police have increased security due to concerns over a potential attack, similar to an incident at a recent event in Bratislava....
For the second year in a row, the Czech Republic has allocated more than USD 21 million for humanitarian support, development and economic assistance to Ukraine. “In the first six months of this year, approximately half of this amount has already been spent. Czech firms will supply, for example, water treatment plants and equipment for surgical rooms or rehabilitation centres in the Dnipro region,” the Prime Minister Petr Fiala explained. He informed that last year, the same amount of 500 million CZK was allocated for projects within the framework of humanitarian and economic assistance and for the development of Ukraine. In particular, as part of this program, the Czech Republic contributed to the demining of war-affected agricultural areas in Kharkiv, Kherson and Sumy regions. Czech companies have been supporting Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion. Already in the first year, they began to establish contacts with new partners and travel to Ukraine on business missions. More and more Czech firms are getting involved in Ukraine’s recovery, thanks in part to government support. “They can impress foreign investors and financial institutions with their quality… When we visit Ukraine today, we see concrete results of their work,” the Prime...
In June, the Czech Republic experienced the largest annual drop in food prices across the European Union, with a notable 4.8% decrease. Hungary, which came in second, recorded a reduction of just over two percent. However, data from the Czech Statistical Office suggests this trend may not last. Future food price reductions will largely depend on harvest outcomes, with the extent of decreases expected to diminish. Dominik Rusinko, an analyst at ČSOB, highlighted that the Czech Republic continues to lead in food price reductions, contributing to an unexpected decline in overall inflation. “Food prices only decreased in five EU countries, with an average increase of 1.3% year-over-year across the EU,” Rusinko explained. This sharp decrease in food prices has played a significant role in reducing the nation’s overall inflation rate. Despite agricultural producer prices being down 7.5% year-over-year in June, there was a 1.9% month-over-month increase. For example, fresh vegetable prices rose by 13.3% compared to May, poultry by 3.5%, and pork by 0.3%. Egg prices fell by 4.5%. These mixed signals suggest that the positive trend in food prices may not persist. “In the second half of the year, the deflationary impact of food prices on overall consumer inflation...
Korea and the Czech Republic agreed to expand bilateral traffic rights for flights from four to seven weekly, the Korean Transport Ministry said Friday, as part of a broader effort to support the two countries’ $17 billion nuclear reactor project in the European nation. The decision was reached during a Korea-Czech aviation meeting held in Prague from Wednesday to Thursday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said. Traffic rights, determined through intergovernmental negotiations, are allocated by each country’s government to their respective airlines. The expansion agreement marks the first increase in traffic rights between Korea and the Czech Republic in 26 years, as they had been fixed at four weekly flights since 1998. The Czech Republic is currently connected to Korea by a single direct route — Korean Air’s Incheon-Prague service, which was launched in May 2004 and has carried 1.5 million people. Czech Airlines operated flights from June 2013 for about seven years, but the service was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, a codeshare agreement with Korean Air remains in place, which allows travelers to book flights and accumulate mileage through Korean Air when traveling to a third European country via Prague on Czech Airlines. Over...
Ukraine and the Czech Republic have signed a number of documents following joint government consultations, including intentions to cooperate in the energy sector and the fight against crime. The five Memorandum covers a wide range of cooperation areas, including energy security, renewable energy and hydrogen development, electricity infrastructure modernization, nuclear energy cooperation, e-mobility infrastructure expansion, and support for gas storage and production in Ukraine. More specifically: Agreement between Ukraine and the Czech Republic on cooperation in the fight against crime and ensuring public order and security. Memorandum of Intent on cooperation in the energy sector. In particular, on the implementation of a project to transport various types of oil through the South Druzhba pipeline. Ukraine also encourages Czech companies to store gas in Ukrainian underground storage facilities and invest in gas production in Ukraine, and invites Czech companies to join projects to build new highly maneuverable gas generation, biofuel plants, and battery storage systems. The Czech Republic will promote the development of decentralized energy in Ukraine. Memorandum between the State Space Agency of Ukraine and the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic, which provides for a new level of cooperation in the development of the space industry....
The Czech and Ukrainian governments will hold a joint meeting in Prague on Tuesday, focusing on cooperation in defense, energy, and migration. The Government Office announced this on Monday. Discussions will also cover the potential involvement of Czech companies in the reconstruction of war-torn Ukraine. The two cabinets last met in Kyiv in October 2022, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in attendance. The topics of that meeting were similar, emphasizing Ukraine’s ambitions to join the European Union. The upcoming consultations will be led by Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. Key Czech officials attending the meeting include Interior Minister Vít Rakušan, Regional Development Minister Ivan Bartoš, Health Minister Vlastimil Válek, Defense Minister Jana Černochová, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, Industry and Trade Minister Jozef Síkela, Transport Minister Martin Kupka, Education Minister Mikuláš Bek, Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný, and Science, Research and Innovation Minister Marek Ženíšek. On Wednesday, the Czech cabinet will hold its regular meeting. The Czech government also holds joint meetings with the Polish cabinet. However, the traditional meeting with the Slovak government has been temporarily suspended due to differing views on foreign policy issues, including their stance on aid to Ukraine. Would you like...
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