News in brief for June 19: 'Czechia wants to put you in concentration camps,' State Duma chairman tells Russians

Data released today by the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) shows that in 2022 the construction of apartments in Czechia reached its highest level since 2007, with a 14-percent increase in completed units year on year. However, construction costs rose and building duration was longer. A total of almost 40,000 new housing units were built.

The Central Bohemian Region and Prague regions saw the highest number of completed apartments, while Karlovy Vary had the fewest. Additionally, the ČSÚ calculated that constructing a single apartment in a family house required an additional annual expense of CZK 400,000 due to higher construction costs.

The umbrella Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (ČMKOS) has this afternoon announced plans for some trade unions nationwide to protest in late June against the government’s proposed austerity measures. 

ČMKOS head Josef Středula said that the first protest would take place in the south of Bohemia tomorrow. Exactly a week later ČMKOS plans to hold a rally in Ostrava. Trade unionists from the public sector will hold a rally in Prague on June 29. According to the ČMKOS, the government's consolidation plans are directed against employees and pensioners. Their main objections are to value-added tax changes, the restoration of sickness insurance for employees, and the abolition of tax discounts for employee benefits.

According to a poll conducted by the Center for Public Opinion Research released today, Czechs view education and healthcare access as worse compared to the previous year. However, despite this decline, the majority still consider these areas satisfactory, along with the job opportunities they bring.

The survey revealed an 8-percent decrease in positive ratings for healthcare access and a 10-percent increase in negative responses. Similar negative evaluations were observed for the possibility of purchasing property in Czechia – nine out of 10 people rated it as bad.

In response to an EU directive prohibiting member states from reducing value-added tax (VAT) on products made from recycled materials, Czech Environment Minister Petr Hladík announced today his intention to raise the issue at the EU environment ministers' meeting in Luxembourg this week.

Hladík stated that the Czech government coalition aims to include a reduced 12-percent VAT rate on recycled products as part of its proposed austerity package. The possibility of including products made from secondary raw materials in the lower VAT rate would boost the development of a circular economy and also increase consumers’ motivation to use recycled materials, the environment minister explained.

The Czech police's organized crime unit (NCOZ) has today put forward a proposal to press charges regarding the unauthorized duplication of data from the Defence Ministry's information systems by an army officer. According to NCOZ spokesperson Jaroslav Ibehej, the investigation into the offense of accessing a computer system and information carrier without permission has concluded. 

The criminal file has now been submitted to the prosecutor at the Prague 6 District Prosecutor's Office, accompanied by a suggestion to either file charges or consider a conditional suspension of criminal prosecution. Under the Czech Criminal Code, anyone who interferes with a computer system or information carrier by making unauthorized use of data stored in it faces up to three years in prison.

Online retailer Amazon has today opened a new distribution center in Kojetín, Olomouc. The facility is expected to create around 2,000 jobs.

This marks Amazon's second distribution center in the country, but the first to be equipped with cutting-edge robotic technology. The integration of these advanced systems will support employees in efficiently fulfilling customer orders.  Since establishing its presence in the Czech Republic in 2013, Amazon has invested over CZK 26 billion and currently employs over 4,000 individuals across the country.

Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin has responded to Czech President Petr Pavel’s comments last week that Russians living abroad should be “monitored” and put under surveillance. Volodin urged Russians living in exile to return home, if feasible. 

He expressed concern about the potential escalation of Western European hostility, alluding to the (incorrect) notion that the Czech president suggested confining Russians in concentration camps. Pavel later clarified his comments, saying that a strict surveillance regime should not apply to every single Russian citizen, but to those with "risk factors.”

The Czech women's basketball team secured a spot in the round of 16 of the European Championship by defeating Israel 61-52 in the final match of the group stage. This marks their first advancement to the knockout phase since 2015. Veronika Voráčková led the Czech team with 16 points, making a strong comeback after an ankle injury.

The team will now face Greece, the third-ranked team in Group A, in the next round. The match can be watched live on ČT sport and ctsport.cz. The Czech players faced a tough opponent with a specific defense but managed to secure the victory.

Czech president Petr Pavel said in an interview with CNN Prima that he plans to move with his wife to Lumbe's Villa at Prague Castle this summer, where they will live during the working week Pavel also mentioned buying a treadmill to improve his fitness after tearing his thigh muscles while running in Jihlava. The move to Lumbe's Villa has been in the works for the past few weeks, with minor modifications needed.

Pavel and his wife will use the villa to avoid daily commuting from their residence in Černouček, North Bohemia. The couple also have vacation plans to spend time at their cottage, engage in housework, and be with their children during the summer.

A 25-year-old man tragically died after falling into the Velká Amerika quarry near Beroun, reports Novinky.cz. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon, and despite the efforts of emergency response units and two helicopters, the man could not be saved. Witnesses reported that he slipped on a rock and fell, resulting in fatal injuries.

A police spokeswoman confirmed the incident and stated that the circumstances surrounding the event are currently under investigation by Beroun criminalists.

A recent study by Mazars, a consulting company, reveals that the Czech Republic has the highest corporate income tax rate among the Visegrad Group (V4) countries. While Hungary maintains a general corporate tax rate of nine percent, certain sectors can face total tax rates as high as 50 percent. On the other hand, Poland and Slovakia offer favorable tax rates for companies with smaller profits.

The study also highlights that corporate tax rates in the V4 countries have not been decreasing, except for Austria, which reduced it from 25 to 24 percent during the pandemic. The Czech Ministry of Finance proposes increasing the corporate tax rate from 19 to 21 percent as part of public finance consolidation efforts, with estimated annual budget revenue increase of CZK 21.8 billion by 2025.

Interest in vinyl records has been growing in the Czech Republic and globally over the past decade, according to to data from the Czech National Group of the International Federation of the Music Industry. Sales of vinyl records in the Czech Republic have seen a year-on-year increase of 15 percent, reaching approximately the same share as CDs. This trend is also reflected internationally, as vinyl sales in the United States surpassed CDs for the first time since 1987.

Vinyl records are not only making a successful comeback but also becoming a collectible investment. The increased interest in vinyl can be attributed to factors such as the authentic sound, the ceremonial aspect of playing records, and the aesthetic appeal of album covers. The popularity of vinyl has also led to an increase in sales of record players.