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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.

Incoming finance minister Andrej Babiš sometimes gives the impression that he is shooting from the hip before he has even warmed the seat of his ministerial chair. But his assertion about the Czechs poor performance on collecting Value Added Tax is pretty much on the mark.

The imminent change-of-guard in Prague naturally poses questions about the country’s EU role and eventual adoption of the flagship single currency, the euro. Unlike the cautious approach of former center-right governments, the incoming finance minister Andrej Babiš says he has no problem with euro adoption. However, the assurance comes from an astute business magnate who is quick to add that the country is not prepared to guarantee the liabilities of indebted euro users such as Greece or Spain.