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According to the internet news site Novinky.cz there are currently over half a million foreign nationals living in the Czech Republic. Approximately 224,000 of them are manual labourers, 80,000 are self-employed entrepreneurs. Analysts warn that while the country could do with more qualified foreign specialists, the labour market for manual workers is practically saturated.

The end of school for the summer has paved the way for the start of summer camps, with children the first holiday weekend set to enjoy a heatwave no doubt at many of the country’s swimming holes. According to Czech Radio, many camps this year hiked prices by several hundred crowns but have not had problems meeting capacity. And some have already sold out.

The Government on Wednesday approved a Digital Literacy project that should give people from low-income groups access to the Internet. The project, put forward by the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry, will cost around seven billion crowns to be covered partly by the state and partly from EU funds.

The latest purchases for the group which describes itself as the leading Central European energy group are focused on Hungary, a relatively new and, on the face of it, problematic market for power companies in recent years.

The number of female entrepreneurs in the Czech Republic has gone up by more than 30,000 over the last three years, according to Czech Radio.

The bankruptcy brinkmanship now playing out in Greece should not hit the Czech Republic directly. Meanwhile Greeks appear to be taking some consolation in betting, which is good news for some Czech investors.

Czech coal-mining company Severní energetická has approached inhabitants of the towns in North Bohemia standing on brown coal deposits with a financial offer in return for their agreement to leave their homes in case the government approves the relaxing of coal mining limits, Czech Television reported on Thursday.

Although tax revenues have been a bit disappointing so far this year and spending ministers are still making claims for extra cash for 2016, finance minister Andrej Babiš has drawn a line in the metaphorical sand saying that the 70 billion crown deficit for next year cannot be exceeded.

With their production lines revving up, carmakers in the Czech Republic are preparing to deliver new models to showrooms. After Škoda Auto’s recent unveiling of an upgrade on its popular Superb, the Silesian-based Hyundai has just showcased its new Tucson line.

A chain of Austrian Baumax D-I-Y stores in the Czech Republic as well as Slovakia are reportedly to be bought by German competitor OBI. The story was reported by Czech Radio on Tuesday, citing the Austrian Press Agency (APA). According to Czech Radio, Baumax has suffered significant losses in recent years.