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The centre-left Czech government is facing one of its biggest tests since it was formed at the start of the year with a clear split between the Social Democrats of Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and his coalition partners over proposals to extend the life of a coal mine earmarked for closure. The split and well as media revelations are focusing renewed attention on the dubious circumstances of the privatization of the OKD mining company a decade ago. The transaction was pushed through by then finance minister, Bohuslav Sobotka.

In recent years there has been a rise in the number of outdoor advertisements in Russian, English and other languages in the Czech Republic, to the annoyance of many locals. Now a new bill has been put forward regulating such ads. If passed, the legislation will allow local authorities to ban any foreign-language adverts displayed in public that are not accompanied by the same text in Czech.

The Association of Czech booksellers and publishers has launched a new campaign called ‘Books without VAT’ in order to drum up support for the existing 15 percent rate to be slashed. The centre-left government of Bohuslav Sobotka is due to discuss the matter, possibly lowering the VAT on books and some other items to as little as five percent.

The US online retailer Amazon has dropped plans to build a large distribution centre outside Brno. The firm’s head of European operations, Tim Collins, told Czech TV on Wednesday the firm did not feel welcome in Brno whose councillors repeatedly voted against the project due to issues with the city’s zoning plan. Amazon was going to invest 2.7 billion crowns in the location, creating around 1,500 jobs. The firm is continuing with plans to build another distribution centre outside Prague. I spoke to Radek Špicar, vice president of the Czech Confederation

When the law on medical marihuana came into force in February of last year it seemed that the way was now open for patients suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases to use the drug under medical supervision without having to acquire it secretly in violation of the law. However, despite the good intentions of MPs who pushed through the legislation, little has changed in the past year and cannabis remains unavailable legally.

This Tuesday sees Czech-born author Milan Kundera, who has lived and worked in France since the mid-1970s, turn 85. Although the Czech media has reported extensively on the occasion, it is no secret the author of acclaimed novels like The Joke and Immortality, has a complicated relationship with his homeland, not allowing novels after The Unbearable Lightness of Being to be published in Czech.

At the weekend, neighbouring Slovakia elected a new president, political newcomer Andrej Kiska, who defeated Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico by 20 percent of the vote. Czech politicians, including Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, congratulated Mr Kiska, saying they looked forward to meeting with the new head of state. As tradition dictates, Kiska’s first official foreign visit trip will be to Prague.

This Friday marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of the most significant Czech authors, Bohumil Hrabal, who died in 1997. Events commemorating the author of Closely Watched Trains and I Served the King of England, are being held at venues around the country. I took the opportunity to discuss Hrabal’s life and work with Jakub Chrobák, a professor and specialist on Czech literature at the Silesian University in Opava.

The ANO party of billionaire Andrej Babiš, a member of the centre-left ruling coalition, is fast gaining strength. According to the results of a March survey of voter preferences conducted by the STEM agency the party would now win general elections in the country, by far outstripping the present coalition leader –the Social Democratic Party. ANO, which got 18.6 percent in October’s early general elections would now get 28.9 percent of the vote, trailed by the Social Democrats which would only get 20.5 percent, a tenth of a percentage point less

Tim Burton is known for distinctive, stylised movies such as Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Now aficionados can enjoy the director’s art at a new exhibition in Prague simply entitled Tim Burton and His World. Ahead of its opening, the filmmaker recalled a previous trip to the city – and taking inspiration from a Czech filmmaker.