An enormous number of Czechs – almost 10 percent of those over the age of 15 – are in trouble with debt-collecting bailiffs. Indeed, more than 150,000 people in this country are facing a minimum of 10 distraint orders, according to the latest edition of a map of such cases released in mid-February, Radio Prague writes based on Open Society non-profit organization study. 

The flash estimate for Czech GDP growth in the last quarter of 2017 showed a relatively weaker performance of the domestic economy compared with its regional peers. The qoq GDP dynamics printed 0.5% while yoy growth recorded 5.1%. According to the CZSO’s comments, the strong dynamics were driven by all demand components. That corroborates our estimates, but we expected a slightly stronger magnitude of demand. In a qoq comparison, Czech GDP did not even match the dynamics of the German economy. The lack of an available labour force probably played a role to some extent. Employment remained at the same level as in the preceding quarter while it increased 1.5% in yoy terms, Komercni banka says.

Despite the numerous hiccups accompanying the current government of prime minister Andrej Babiš – the failed vote of confidence last month, the lengthy negotiations with other potential coalition partners, and not forgetting the infamous police investigation into the potential EU subsidy fraud surrounding the Stork’s Nest case – it seems nothing can diminish the determination of this administration to govern. 

Ostrava ranks 6th and Brno 10th in the fDi Strategy ranking of mid-sized European cities of the future. Plzen ranks 4th among small cities and Pardubice 8th in the micro cities of the future category, fDi Strategy report says.