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The future of the Czech Republic’s “data box” repository system, an online platform via which official documents can be lodged with the state authorities, is unclear after a tender process for what is one of the country’s largest public contracts was thrown out.

The forex interventions launched by the Czech National Bank in November 2013 as an instrument for maintaining monetary stability could soon be a thing of the past. Economists predict the central bank could decide to end interventions as early as the beginning of April. I spoke to David Marek, chief economist with the consultancy Deloitte, about the likelihood of such a move and its immediate impact on the economy.

There is increased tension in the Czech coalition government over the EC’s announcement that it will fine the Czech Republic 800,000 euros over a clash of interest in the distribution of farming subsidies. The irregularity concerns members of all three ruling parties and Prague has already filed a request for the launch of conciliation proceedings in Brussels.

The Czech rail market is set to open up further to competition after the government’s approval of liberalisation plans on Wednesday, the Czech News Agency reported. According to information posted on the Office of the Government’s website, tender processes for the right to run services on five high-speed rail lines will be held by the end of 2021

Škoda Auto has just enjoyed the most successful year in its history. The Czech-based carmaker saw its profits climb by just over a third in 2016 to reach CZK 25.7 billion. It was the third year in succession that Škoda, the country’s biggest exporter, made a new record profit.

The Czech Republic’s biggest electricity producer, almost 70 percent state owned ČEZ, delivered its 2016 results on March 21 with the outcome largely disappointing analysts.

A taste of the West was the slogan used by another very different company, though in this case it was perhaps more appropriate. And the interest was huge when the first McDonald’s hamburger restaurant opened its doors 25 years ago in what was still Czechoslovakia on March 20, 1992.

A Czech company is using 3D laser technology to offer more accurate road repairs and resurfacing and is targeting a worldwide market that could result from the know-how.

Prague City Hall is planning to build hundreds of council houses within the next few years, the daily Hospodářské noviny wrote on Thursday. The first apartments are set to be built at the Černý Most housing estate within the next two years. According to the daily, City Hall plans to select more locations in the city where hundreds of council apartments could be built in the near future.

Low cost airline Ryanair has a basic but successful business model: it cuts costs to the bone and often operates out of out of centre airports which, to put it bluntly, are begging for the business.