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The emerging government coalition between the Social Democrats, ANO and the Christian Democrats officially presented their policy programme on Friday outlining broad aims such as raising the country’s minimum wage and boosting the economy. But the deal could yet go south: it has emerged that the Christian Democrats are far from happy ahead of the next round of negotiations on ministerial posts. The offer of only two ministries, they warn, will not be enough.

Nine buildings at Prague Castle sought by the Roman Catholic Church under a highly-publicised restitution deal with the Czech state will remain in state hands. According to Czech TV, the property sought within the extensive Castle complex, overlooking the Vltava River, will not be returned for reasons of security.

The Health Ministry has announced that it will be introducing two changes as of the New Year, to help mothers giving birth have more privacy and feel more in control while they are in the hospital. Mothers who experience a naturally progressing birth without complications may choose to have only nurses present at the procedure, and will be able to leave the hospital within hours of giving birth, after receiving instructions on how to care for the baby.

Three Czech parties have struck a deal on forming a coalition government. The Social Democrats, ANO and the Christian Democrats have finalized agreement on the next cabinet’s policies. The parties said the agreement would be signed and made public before the end of the week before they tackle the final part of the deal – distributing government portfolios, and nominating future ministers.

There was a fairytale night for Czech soccer on Tuesday night when the country’s title-holders Viktoria Plzeň kept their European campaign alive with a dramatic home win over CSKA Moscow. What’s more, the Champions League game was the perfect send-off for the manager who steered them into the competition, Pavel Vrba.

Dublin has become the first city in Europe, and only second in the world, to dedicate a memorial to the late Czech president Václav Havel. The monument entitled Havel’s Place was unveiled by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Oisín Quinn, and former Czech foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg, on Tuesday. Mayor Quinn told Radio Prague it was an honour for his city to pay homage to the late human rights champion.

A battle over opening hours at Czech stores during the holidays has continued for several years and once again the question of whether stores should close or remain open at Yuletide is being hotly debated. Some Czech union representatives want to see hours curbed so that cashiers or shop assistants can spend more time with their loved ones; critics say the matter should be left up to employers.

The parties of the emerging Czech coalition government report they have cleared most of the disputed points of their future programme, coming closer to striking a final deal. But in filling the posts in the next cabinet, coalition leaders might face an addition hurdle after President Miloš Zeman made it clear he wanted a final word on the line-up.

For years the Civic Democrats were the dominant right-wing force in Czech politics. However, the party took less than 8 percent in recent elections and are very much on the ropes. With members crying out for a saviour, the relatively untested Petr Fiala appears set to announce a bid to run for chairman, and could well get elected.

The Czech police force has had to face an unprecedented situation this week – the existence of two police presidents. With the former head of the force Petr Lessy reinstated after being cleared of criminal charges, the question there is now a question over what should be done with the man appointed to succeed him, Martin Červíček. We look at how the Interior Minister Martin Pecina is dealing with the situation.