The Czech Republic has ended its reliance on Russian oil and gas, turning instead to Norway and other global suppliers. Over the last three years, Norway has become the primary source of natural gas for the country and, more recently, has overtaken Russia in oil supplies. According to the Czech Statistical Office, Norway is now the second-largest oil supplier to Czech refineries after Azerbaijan. Russian oil imports stopped entirely in March, following stricter EU sanctions that blocked Orlen Unipetrol, the owner of Czech refineries, from making payments to Russian suppliers. While the smaller refinery in Kralupy nad Vltavou continues to process lighter crude from the Caspian region, the larger Litvínov refinery switched to a combination of Norwegian and Saudi Arabian oil. In July, Czechia imported 606,000 tons of oil, with Azerbaijan providing 250,000 tons and Norway supplying 220,000 tons. Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia accounted for the remainder. Norwegian imports have steadily increased since April, when Orlen Unipetrol received its first shipment of Norwegian oil via the Trieste, Italy pipeline. The shift to Norway is supported by the Polish parent company, Orlen, which has developed its own production in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea while also purchasing from other...
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský commented on the recent incident involving a Russian drone that violated Romania’s airspace. Writing on X, Lipavský stressed that he does not believe the drone ended up in Romania’s airspace by accident: “Russia continues to provoke. Last night it was Romania. I don’t believe in Russia’s ‘mistakes.’ As NATO allies, we remain vigilant.” According to him, Russia must pay a tangible price for its provocations against NATO. “That is why the Czech Republic supports further sanctions,” Lipavský concluded. On Saturday, Romanian authorities issued a RO-Alert for the northern part of Tulcea County, warning residents about the possible fall of objects from airspace. In its statement, the ministry said a Geran drone used by Russia had entered Romanian airspace. It added that the drone “orbited for about 50 minutes, from north-east of [the village of] Chilia Veche to south-west of Izmail, and left national airspace near the town of Pardina, heading towards Ukraine”. Poland had already denounced the intrusion of Russian drones into its airspace last week, calling on Moscow to avoid further “provocations”. Polish fighter jets scrambled on Saturday in response to fresh Russian drone strikes just over the border in Ukraine. Romania, a Nato...
The Czech Republic is facing a historic labor crisis. Each year, the country may face a shortfall of 70,000 workers, as retiring generations outnumber those entering the workforce. According to Jaroslava Rezlerová, CEO of ManpowerGroup Czechia, about 120,000 people retire every year—but only 90,000 young workers replace them. The gap of 30,000 is forecast to more than double within a decade, leading to an aggregate annual loss of up to 70,000 workers. The Czech Statistical Office reports that the share of people aged 15 to 64 will first stagnate and then decline. The steepest drop is expected among those in their 40s and 50s, with this group’s share shrinking from around 64% to 56.6% over the coming years. Tomáš Dombrovský, from Alma Career (the owner of Jobs.cz and Práce.cz), warns that many firms are unprepared. As more workers age into middle and later stages of life, he says, “the moment companies begin to reject them, we will have a big problem.” Foreign Workers: Partial Solution, But Not Enough Foreign labour has helped cushion the blow. Refugees from Ukraine have filled gaps, but mostly women have arrived, while male migration has declined. Meanwhile, wages in neighbouring countries like Poland, Romania, and...
The Czech Republic is “ready” to send special operations helicopter unit to Poland, according to Defense Ministry statement on Wednesday. “The Czech Republic will support Poland in ensuring defense against current threats in connection with the impacts of Russian drones on Polish territory. It is ready to send a helicopter unit for special operations with specially modified Mi-171S aircraft to the country,” the statement said. It said that Poland requested the deployment of the unit following a phone call between Defense Minister Jana Cernochova and her Polish counterpart Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz. “Poland is our close and reliable ally … It is important that the help comes quickly and that we show Russia our unity. We are ready to send the unit within a matter of days,” Cernochova also said. The move came after Poland shot down suspected Russian drones with the support of NATO aircraft, the first time a member of the alliance is known to have fired shots during Russia’s war in Ukraine. “At the request of the Operational Command of the Branches of the Armed Forces, air traffic restrictions will be introduced in the eastern part of Poland in the form of the restricted zone EP R129,” the agency...
Poland shot down drones that entered its airspace on Wednesday, the first time a member of NATO is known to have fired shots during Russia’s war in Ukraine. Here are some reactions to the situation from some leading politicians and officials. Petr Fiala The Czech Republic stands firmly with Poland and is prepared, if necessary, to help defend Europe’s borders against Russian provocations, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said after Wednesdays cabinet meeting at which ministers discussed the Russian drone attack on Ukraine which also struck Polish territory. The Czech prime minister stressed that Czechia’s readiness to help applies to any steps agreed within NATO. According to Fiala, the Putin regime is systematically testing how far it can go and is a threat to all of Europe. Volodymyr Zelenskyy “It is clear that Russian aggression poses a danger to every independent nation in our region, and therefore only joint and coordinated action can guarantee reliable security. The precedent of using combat aircraft from several European countries simultaneously to shoot down Russian weapons and protect human lives is highly significant.” “Together, Europeans are always stronger. Russia must feel that the response to this escalatory step, and even more so to an attempt...
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said that he will propose ending the free movement of Russian diplomats in Schengen area as part of the 19th sanctions package to be unveiled next month. “I will keep proposing to end the free movement of Russian diplomats in Schengen,” Lipavsky told Politico on Tuesday, stressing that it is an “an unnecessary advantage” Europe gives to Russia. He also claimed that it is being “abused to facilitate sabotage operations.” Four anonymous European diplomats told Politico that the upcoming 19th sanctions package against Moscow, expected to be unveiled next month, is unlikely to include major new restrictions on energy sales. They noted that the package will instead target shadow fleet vessels and companies that help Russia circumvent existing regulations. “We don’t expect there will be much room for any material Russian oil sanctions in the EU’s 19th sanctions package,” Ajay Parmar, lead crude market analyst at Independent Commodity Intelligence Services (ICIS), told Politico. The Czech government also wants the EU to accept only biometric passports, which are harder to forge or link to false identities. The Czech proposal has been on the table for nearly two years, but until now has lacked sufficient support. Running...
Fiala, echoing other leaders in Central and Eastern Europe, stressed the importance of acting promptly to strengthen the continent’s defense architecture in face of the apparent Russian threat. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has warned that Russia’s expansionist ambitions extend beyond Ukraine, saying that even if a ceasefire is reached in the embattled country, Moscow will be ready to pursue further aggression in the region in the coming years. Many countries along the EU and NATO’s eastern flank view Russia’s nearly three-and-a-half-year war in Ukraine as an existential threat to their security and have repeatedly warned that any peace deal favoring Moscow could embolden the Kremlin. Speaking at a briefing with Czech ambassadors on Monday, Fiala said: “Russian ambitions do not stop at the borders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine.“Even if some kind of ceasefire is achieved now, which we all undoubtedly hope for, if the right steps are not taken, Russia will be ready for further expansion within a few years. ”Russia has reportedly demanded that Ukraine cede its eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as part of any peace deal, having previously formally annexed the territories, along with two other provinces, despite only partially...
Plzeňský Prazdroj, Czechia’s biggest brewing company, will raise the price of several of its beers by about three percent starting October 1. The increase amounts to 68 hellers per half-liter and will apply to selected brands across the group. The company confirmed that Velkopopovický Kozel, Radegast, Master and Primus are among the beers affected. On the other hand, Pilsner Urquell, Proud, Gambrinus “desítka” draft, and non-alcoholic Birell in bottles and cans will remain unchanged, according to Prazdroj spokesman Zdeněk Kovář. The company last adjusted its price list two years ago. This time, Prazdroj cites higher transport and logistics costs, particularly from external contractors, who have increased prices due to rising wages. Packaging expenses have also gone up, with aluminum cans—more popular than ever among customers—driving costs higher. “In addition, fees for packaging disposal, which we are legally obliged to pay, have risen by tens of percent,” said Kovář. “Since Czechia has no nationwide deposit system for cans, effective collection and reuse remain limited.” What it means for consumers Restaurants and retail chains have not yet announced how the brewery’s new prices will be reflected in their own pricing. “The final price is always determined by the seller, whether it’s a...
The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to revive the activities of the Czech Center in Moscow, which has been closed since March 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Instead of reopening its doors physically, the institution will operate entirely online, focusing on promoting Czech culture, science, and the arts to a Russian audience. Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský stressed that while Prague continues to firmly oppose the Kremlin’s aggression, cultural diplomacy should not be abandoned. “We are aware of the risks, but we believe culture—as a universal language—can keep open channels of dialogue even when others collapse,” Lipavský told iDNES.cz. The Czech Centers network is a state-funded cultural organization operating since 1993. The planned relaunch, expected in the second half of 2025, will take place entirely in the digital sphere. According to Jitka Pánek Jurková, Director General of the Czech Centers, the move is necessary to maintain cultural exchange under current conditions. “Diplomacy today often unfolds in the virtual space. We want to create original online content, including interviews with personalities connected to both Czech and Russian culture, and share it primarily on platforms accessible to Russian audiences,” she explained. Pánek Jurková added that the online model follows the example...
The Czech foreign minister on Saturday welcomed US President Donald Trump’s efforts to bring an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine, however accused Russia of not being serious about peace. In a post on the US social media platform X, Jan Lipavský dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s remarks on the conflict as “propaganda gibberish,” stressing that “the problem is Russian imperialism, not the Ukrainian desire to live freely.” He cautioned that Moscow seeks to reverse Europe’s security order to 1997, before the Czech Republic joined NATO. “It is in our existential interest to prevent such scenarios,” he wrote, adding that Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine show Putin is not serious about peace. “If Putin was serious about peace negotiations, he would not have attacked Ukraine all day today,” he said. K jednáním na Aljašce:Vítám, že se prezident Trump snaží válku zastavit, že o tom průběžně hovoří s evropskými představiteli a že bude o výsledcích dnešního jednání informovat i nás v Evropě. Včetně prezidenta Zelenského. Od Putina zazněly stejné propagandistické žvásty o… — Jan Lipavský (@JanLipavsky) August 15, 2025 Trump and Putin were upbeat after their more than three-hour closed-door talks, with the Russian leader saying they had come to reach...
The Czech Republic has opened a new embassy office in Dnipro, Ukraine, becoming the only Western nation with a diplomatic presence in eastern Ukraine. The inauguration on Wednesday was led by Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, alongside Serhiy Lysak, head of the Dnipropetrovsk military administration. Also attending were Ambassador Radek Pech and Mykola Lukashuk, chairman of the Dnipropetrovsk regional council. “This is true bravery,” Lukashuk said, addressing the minister. “Rocket attacks and shelling continue, yet you are here. On behalf of all our residents, who account for eleven percent of the region’s population, thank you.” He also praised Ambassador Pech and other embassy staff for their efforts, noting, “They have done a tremendous job.” Located on the fourth floor of a central Dnipro building, the Czech mission is the first official state office opened in eastern Ukraine since the war started. It will host business negotiations, meetings with non-profits, and other activities supporting the region. Two Czech diplomats will travel regularly to manage the office, while a local official will handle day-to-day operations in their absence. Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebyjnys attended the opening, highlighting long-standing cooperation between the Czech Republic and Dnipropetrovsk. Reflecting on his time as Ukraine’s...
The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that it is “terminating all contact” with the Czech head of state in connection with the recent meeting between Petr Pavel and the supreme Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama. Pavel, according to the Chinese Embassy in Prague, has “damaged China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” with his visit to the Dalai Lama on July 27, where he expressed his country’s support for the Tibetan cause. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian made a statement on Tuesday, which has also reached out to the Czech government for comment. Asked by China Daily about the visit, Lin Jian replied, “In disregard of China’s repeated protests and strong opposition, Czech President Petr Pavel went to India to meet with the Dalai Lama. This seriously contravenes the political commitment made by the Czech government to the Chinese government, and harms China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this, and has lodged serious protests with the Czech side. In light of the severity of Pavel’s provocative action, China decides to cease all engagement with him.” Relations between the two countries have been rocky as of late, with China insisting on strict adherence to the One-China...
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