Morning Briefing │ Tuesday, January 30th, 2024

* HEALTH:

The number of acute respiratory infections in Czechia have reached epidemic levels, according to Health Ministry Data. Doctors have reported a 23 percent increase in patients in a week-on-week comparison with 1,748 patients per 100 000 inhabitants.

The epidemic threshold is considered to be between 1,600 and 1,800 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

* DEFENSE:

The Czech Republic’s government has signed an agreement with the United States to acquire 24 U.S. F-35 fighter jets as part of a deal worth about $6.6 billion, the biggest single purchase for the Czech military.

This decision positions the Czech Republic as the 18th nation to join the program.

* JOB MARKET:

According to the data provided by the labour office of Czechia, the number of foreign workers in the country reached a total of 823,945 in December of last year, 30,700 more than in 2022.

Moreover, such a number recorded at the end of last year is 2.5 times more than in 2015, and the increase is mainly attributed to arrivals from Ukraine.

* ECONOMY:

In 2023, 28,960 companies were established in the Czech Republic, 662 more than in 2022. 16,063 companies were dissolved, 1,677 more than in the previous year, the highest number after the pandemic year in 2020.

This is based on an analysis carried out by CRIF – Czech Credit Bureau.

* POLITICS:

The Czech Senate has narrowly failed to approve the so-called Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. Only 34 of the 71 senators present for Wednesday night’s vote were in favour of its ratification, two votes short of adoption.

The vote followed seven hours of often intense debate.