Czech Republic
EBRD2026: EBRD, EU expand InvestEU support with €478mn in new guarantees
Additional guarantees to enable EBRD to finance higher-risk projects that may otherwise struggle to secure commercial funding.
COMMENT: Europe risks becoming a ‘vassal’ unless it relearns power politics, Sciences Po chief warns
Europe is in a historic decline that threatens its economic model, political autonomy and global influence, and lacks the intellectual framework needed to reverse the trend, according to the head of France's elite Sciences Po university.
Middle East conflict and energy shock slow growth across EBRD regions
Bank warns higher energy costs are reigniting inflation, weakening industrial competitiveness and straining already fragile public finances
German business returns to Russia for St Petersburg Investment forum
A group of German business figures is set to attend Russia’s flagship St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) which kicks off on June 3, marking a return of top German companies to Russia’s flagship event.
Shareholders of Prague bourse leader ČEZ greenlight company restructuring and nationalisation
ČEZ plans to move sales, distribution, trading and energy activities under a new subsidiary, while production is placed under full state control
President says Czechia should adopt euro if it helps the economy
Export-oriented Czechia committed to adopt the euro as part of its EU accession in 2004, but little progress has been made since then.
Bulgaria the latest addition to the EU’s Excessive Deficit Club
Bulgaria has barely had time to celebrate joining the eurozone monetary union at the start of this year before the European Commission is set to turn around and throw it into the rapidly growing financial delinquents club.
From Soviet antihistamine to Alzheimer's breakthrough: a UK biotech bets on a molecule the world forgot
A small UK-registered biotech company believes it has found an Alzheimer's treatment that is safer, cheaper and more effective than anything currently on the market — and it has done so by revisiting a molecule first synthesised by Soviet chemists.
Germany’s gas grid operators warn they may fail to secure suffiencent supplies to make it through the coming winter
Germany’s gas grid operators have warned that current market conditions and storage rules may be insufficient to secure supplies through the coming winter.
The Iberian blackout was a grid failure, not a renewables failure
When the lights went out across almost all of Spain and Portugal last year in one of the biggest blackouts since the war, experts quickly blamed the explosion of renewable generating capacity as the cause. They were partly right.
Output of Czech hydro plants drops by 30-50% amid continued drought
Fears this year’s drought could be the worst in 65 years, after Czechia registered only 32mm of rainfall in March and April.
Czech government mulls sale of Semtex producer Explosia
Proposed sale of Explosia met with criticism from Czech defence and foreign policy experts who argue the country should not lose control over the strategically important plant.
Eastern EU faces mounting demographic strain as populations shrink and age, Eurostat says
While the EU’s total population rose slightly, many eastern member states continued to lose population over the longer term through emigration, low fertility and high mortality rates.
Thousands rally in Prague in support of public media
Protesters turned out to protest against move by PM Andrej Babiš' cabinet to curtail financing for Czech Television and Czech Radio.
EU’s foreign policy boss Kallas is undermining Europe’s credibility
Kaja Kallas has done it again. The EU’s top foreign policy high representative called China a “cancer” that needs decisive treatment with chemotherapy rather than temporary relief with morphine.
ASH: UK cocks up on Russian sanctions
At the least a PR disaster for the UK around its Russia sanctions regime. At the worst the UK has been pushed by Trump’s war on Iran to easing up sanctions on Russia.
Czech ruling coalition passes parliamentary resolution against Sudetengerman summit in Brno
Resolution tabled by far-right SPD has already strained ties with Czechia's largest trading partner Germany.
Germany revamps its energy laws, but risks locking itself into decades of costly gas import dependence
Germany risks locking itself into decades of costly gas import dependence unless policymakers give battery storage equal treatment in upcoming power market reforms, energy think-tank Ember has warned.
Czech inflation confirmed at 2.5% in April
Inflation could accelerate further in the coming months as the impact from the conflict in the Middle East still has to fully hit consumer prices.
Czech weaponry companies weaken on Prague bourse after Putin hints at ending war in Ukraine
Shares of Czech defence companies listed on the Prague Stock Exchange weakened on the first day of trading this week.