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Scandal rather than success and savings appear to be the words most frequently linked to Czech attempts to employ information and communications technology advances in the public sector. An appeal by the significant Czech sector to give ICT a real chance by putting the right people and coordination in place looks like falling on deaf ears.

Relief from the Czech Republic’s record jobless total could come as soon as next month, though a sharp decline is not expected until seasonal work starts to kick-in during the summer. But some economists see unemployment rates climbing again to near 2013 levels by the end of the year.

The Czech agency for attracting foreign firms has been told to get back to basics and attract incoming investment and domestic expansion. But looming changes in key EU regional aid rules will put a brake on a rapid turnaround in CzechInvest’s performance.

Czech exporters delivered a strong performance in 2013 with the trade surplus continuing to rise. But a more detailed look at the goods being traded and bilateral relations show familiar strengths and weaknesses.

Czech President Miloš Zeman on Wednesday appointed former prime minister Jiří Rusnok to the board of the Czech National Bank. It is the first of five appointments the president is due to make to the central bank board during his term in office and commentators say the changes may have a moderating effect on the bank’s currently Eurosceptic board.

Slovakia has come to the foreground as a possible inspiration for finance minister Andrej Babiš’ to shake up his new fief and the Czech Republic.

Domestic meat production has been on a steady decline since 2001 and last year was no exception. According to figures released by the Czech Statistics Office overall meat production in 2013 was down by 2.4 percent year-on-year to 447,000 tons. Pork production slipped by 2.25 percent, beef by 1.4 percent and poultry by 3 percent.

High expectations are being put on CzechInvest to deliver greater foreign investment and more job creation by the new Social Democrat minister for industry and trade.

Governor of the Czech National Bank Miroslav Singer has signalled he will not give up his opposition to the European single currency in spite of the positive adoption signals being made by members of the incoming government.

With the number of automobiles in Prague (population 1.26 million) heading for the one million mark, the city’s authorities are set to consider a new scheme to support car sharing.