Babiš Claims Early Ukraine Peace Talks Were Blocked by West

Andrej Babiš made a strong statement about the war in Ukraine, claiming that in spring 2022 Moscow and Kyiv were on the verge of a peace agreement, but that negotiations were disrupted after former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to the Ukrainian capital. He said Western interference prevented the talks from reaching a conclusion and again called for direct negotiations with Russia as the only diplomatic way to end the war.

Electric Cars May Soon Pay Czech Motorway Tolls

Electric cars in the Czech Republic may soon start paying the same motorway tolls as petrol and diesel vehicles, according to Transport Minister Ivan Bednářík. He said the aim is to create equal conditions for all drivers, noting that electric vehicles also contribute to road wear, often more so because of their greater weight. The minister stressed this is not about environmental policy but about fair funding for road maintenance. Currently, fully electric cars in the Czech Republic are exempt from tolls.

ANO Leads Polls Again, Opposition Trails Behind

The ANO movement remains the clear leader in voter preferences and, if elections were held now, would receive around 34.5% of the vote — almost the same as in the October elections. The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) remains a distant second at about 16%, followed by the STAN movement, which has improved its position to 14%. Support for SPD has dropped to 6.5%, while Motorists are hovering near the 5% threshold.

Prague Plans New Child Psychiatry Centre by 2029

Prague plans to build a new child psychiatric care centre costing nearly half a billion crowns, Andrej Babiš said after visiting the psychiatric hospital in Bohnice. According to him, the institution has already asked the Ministry of Health to include the project among key investments, which would allow preparations for construction to begin soon. The centre is planned as part of the ministry’s three-year investment programme, with an expected opening in 2029.

Unemployment rate rises to 5.1 pct in January

The unemployment rate in Czechia rose to 5.1 percent in January from 4.8 percent in December, according to the Labour Office. Compared with January last year, the share of unemployed increased by 0.8 percentage points. Analysts say the month-on-month rise was driven mainly by seasonal factors and changes to unemployment benefits, which now provide higher support in the first months.