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The Czech Republic’s auto producers and spare parts makers are currently lacking several thousand workers and expect to face the same problem for the rest of the decade, if not longer. To combat the problem they are advocating for changes in the country’s education system.

The Czech economy slowed last year despite an increase in consumer spending, Czech Radio reported on Tuesday citing new preliminary figures released by the Czech Statistical Office. According to the bureau, economic growth slowed to 2.3 percent of GDP; a year earlier it was double that amount, 4.6 percent. In Q4 alone, growth stagnated at 0.2 percent year-on-year.

A shake-up of the Czech mobile phone scene in which callers will no longer be held ransom for high prices by a threesome of big telecom operators. That is what the leaders of the biggest Czech political parties are now promising with changes in the law being promised that would pave the way for that to happen.

Czech consumer price inflation accelerated unexpectedly at the start of the year, coming in above market projections and the Czech National Bank’s target rate. The 2.2 percent year-on-year growth in consumer prices registered in January was reportedly driven by growth in the prices of fuel, food, non-alcoholic beverages and restaurant services.

W Hotels Worldwide, part of US hoteliers Marriot International, announced on Thursday it will open its first hotel in Prague. W Prague accommodation offer will be located in the renovated nouveau Grand Europa Hotel on Prague’s Wenceslas Square, and will be the brand’s debut in the Czech Republic.

The Czech Republic’s law on electronic communications looks set for an overhaul that should benefit ordinary mobile phone users and boost the powers of regulator the Czech Telecommunications Office (CTO). Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka says he aims to rush through an amendment to that end drafted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

High speed rail routes are a popular hobby horse for Czech politicians. ANO leader and finance minister Andrej Babiš has already got on board complaining of the Czech lack of such routes compared with France. And Czech prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka has now boarded the train as well.

Besides beer and cars, one of the biggest Czech exports to Britain over recent years has been students. But Brexit has cast something of a shadow over what is a booming business for the British education sector. As a result, Czechs are making what could be a last ditch bid to sign up for British courses.

The transport authority in Ostrava, one of the most polluted cities in the Czech Republic, is taking steps to reduce its share of the burden. Within the next three years it plans to modernize its bus fleet, gradually putting diesel-powered busses, which are among the worst traffic polluters, out of operation.

Private train and bus operator Leo Express saw its number of passengers rise by close to a third in 2016, CEO Peter Köhler confirmed; however, according to preliminary results the company still remained in the red due to vehicle write-offs, interest payments and further investment and company development.