Pay Rise Approved for 380,000 Public Sector Workers

Around 380,000 public employees in the Czech Republic will receive salary increases from April. Employees paid from the state budget, including civil servants, cultural workers and non-teaching school staff, will see a 10% rise, while healthcare workers will receive an average 6% increase. Doctors’ salaries will be capped at the inflation rate. The government says the move is meant to offset falling real incomes.

Czechia Invited to Join New International Peace Council Backed by Trump

The Czech Republic has been invited to join the International Peace Council, a body launched at the initiative of former US President Donald Trump and presented by Washington as an alternative to the UN Security Council. National Security Advisor Hynek Kmoníček said the country’s final stance will be announced by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš at an upcoming EU leaders’ meeting in Brussels. According to its founders, the council is intended to focus first on the Gaza conflict and later on other global crises.

Foreign Minister: Normal Relations with Russia Currently ‘Extremely Difficult’

Czech Foreign Minister said that normalizing relations with Russia during the ongoing war against Ukraine remains extremely difficult. Addressing diplomats, he noted that Czech foreign policy continues broadly unchanged but is shifting away from moralizing and public activism. He also said the government aims to maintain “standard” relations with China in line with wider European practice.

Czech Team to Match Record Size at Winter Olympics in Italy

The Czech Republic will send 113 athletes to the Winter Olympics in Italy, matching the country’s record delegation from the 2022 Beijing Games. The team includes two ice hockey squads with a total of 48 players, making the winter delegation slightly larger than the Czech team at last summer’s Paris Olympics.

Brno and Ukrainian Uzhhorod Become Sister Cities

Brno has officially become a sister city of Uzhhorod in western Ukraine. City councillors approved the agreement at their first meeting of the year. The partnership aims to support long-term cooperation in areas including social assistance, culture, architecture, ecology and sport, while continuing to back Uzhhorod’s role as a key hub for internal migration since the start of the war.

Czech Authorities Warn of Leaflets from German Military Exercise

Czech authorities have warned the public about the possible appearance of leaflets linked to German military exercises. From January 25 to February 4, the Bundeswehr will conduct drills in Saxony near the Czech and Polish borders, including the release of informational leaflets via helium balloons. About 100 soldiers will take part, testing rapid population alert methods in remote areas.