Citi Central Europe Economics View shows that the risk of a significant slowdown in the long term is lowest in Czech Republic, while highest in Croatia or Bulgaria. In the near term they see a risk is that policymakers may not realize the slowdown is structural. If the authorities misinterpret the data and treat economic weakness in the region as a consequence of cyclical forces, the policy response may be incorrect and ineffective.

A key piece of anti-corruption and transparency legislation appears to have been gutted by an unholy coalition of lower house lawmakers, Radio Praha writes.

According to recently published Eurostat data, Czech dependency on fossil fuel imports has risen to 46% since 1990. In 20 years, the Czech Republic will need around 2,000 MW in installed power capacity in order to replace its ageing lignite-fired power plants and the decommissioned nuclear blocks in Dukovany. Now is the time to agree on specific actions that will significantly impact households’ and industry’s energy bills, Grayling says.

Economic growth in the Czech Republic remains robust, despite a slowdown in 2016. Pension and healthcare expenditure poses a risk to the long-term sustainability of public finances and public procurement indicators reveal significant inefficiencies and challenges. Overall, the Czech Republic has made some progress in addressing the 2016 country-specific recommendations, European Semester report says.