Czech morning news in brief: top headlines for July 20, 2021

The European Commission has approved the Czech Republic's CZK 180 billion (EUR 7 billion) National Recovery Plan, which will help the country deal with the Covid-19 pandemic and move towards a greener and more digital economy. The funds will be acquired by the Czech Republic on the condition that its authorities consistently prevent any conflicts of interest of its public officials. EC President Ursula von der Leyen discussed the Czech National Recovery Plan with Czech Prime Minister Babiš in Prague on Monday. According to Babiš a considerable part of the money will go to healthcare, while entrepreneurs, start-ups, the cultural and creative sectors will also be supported, he said. Von der Leyen stated that the Czech plan also envisages the creation of charging stations for electric cars, investments in renewable energy sources, and infrastructure for waste recycling.

Czech Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhánek met with his British counterpart Dominic Raab in London Monday. Kulhánek assured Raab that the UK remains one of the most important partners of the Czech Republic after Brexit, the Czech Foreign Ministry has announced. According to the ministry, the meeting marks "a new era of Czech-British relations after Brexit". He and Raab discussed cooperation in the spheres of security and education and relations between the UK and the EU. Some 100,000 Czech citizens live in the UK. Post-Brexit, they must register in the system for EU citizens in order to stay in the country. Consular services have been extended over the past months with the Czech embassy in London increasing its capacities. Along with bilateral relations after the UK's departure from the EU, the ministers also discussed cooperation in NATO. Kulhánek also gave a Czech passport to British Lord Alfred Dubs, who was born in Prague and came to Britain on the eve of WWII as one of the Czech Jewish children saved by Nicholas Winton in 1939.

Alfons Mucha's Slavic Epic has been successfully transferred from Prague to Moravský Krumlov castle under strict security measures. Experts and restorers supervised the installation of the twenty monumental canvases created by the Czech painter at the beginning of the 20th century which were lent to the South Moravian city by the Czech capital for five years (the work was previously exhibited here between 1963 and 2011). Moravský Krumlov chateau has invested over CZK 50 million in improving exhibition and currently meets the highest European parameters for the exhibition of works of art. "The Slavic epic has been a part of the genius loci of Moravský Krumlov for many decades. We believe that the exhibition will attract not only visitors from the Czech Republic but also Art Nouveau lovers from all over Europe," said Mayor Tomáš Třetina. The trial operation of the Slavic Epic exhibition will begin at the end of July beginning of August. Due to the Covid-19 measures, the number of visitors is limited.

The average wage in euros in the Czech Republic is EUR 1,368 (CZK 34,932), which is the highest value among the Visegrad Four countries (V4). The highest average wage in the whole of Central and Eastern Europe is in Germany, 3,978 euros (101,578 CZK), followed by Austria with 3,108 euros (79,363 CZK). The lowest average wage of EUR 400 (CZK 10,214) is in Kosovo and EUR 432 (CZK 11,031) in Ukraine. This is the result of an annual study by the consulting company Mazars, which compares the tax systems of 21 countries in Central and Eastern Europe. According to data from the Czech Statistical Office, the average wage in the Czech Republic in the first quarter of this year rose by 3.2 percent year on year to CZK 35,285. According to the study, the average level of wages in euros has increased the most in the private sector. In Germany by 14 percent and by five to ten percent in Slovakia, Croatia, Latvia, and Northern Macedonia. In Poland, the average wage is EUR 1331 euros, in Hungary EUR 1147 euros, and in Slovakia EUR 1113 euros.

The next four weeks will see temperatures in the Czech Republic fall slightly below average, according to a long-term weather outlook published Monday by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. While the coming weekend could see temperatures rise above a tropical 30 degrees Celsius, the weather should then see a gradual cooling. The amount of precipitation should not deviate from the average in previous years. This week should be the warmest in the period from July 19 to August 15. On weekdays, the highest daily temperatures will be around 26 degrees, on Friday it may be a bit warmer. On Saturday, meteorologists expect daily highs of 27 to 31 degrees Celsius. The average weekly temperatures should gradually decrease in the second half of the forecast period and will probably fall below average for this time of year.