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Cesky Telecom reports profit in 2004; Ombudsman says land owners due $350m in compensation; French restrictions on Czech workers may be lifted in 2006; Private companies to prepare 'eStat' plan to cut Czech bureaucracy; Industrial production up in December

The Czech National Bank (CNB) has three new board members. Last Friday, President Vaclav Klaus renamed Zdenek Tuma as the bank's Governor, and appointed the Managing Director of the Expandia Group and former PriceWaterhouseCoopers economist, Miroslav Singer, to the post of Vice-Governor. Pavel Rezabek, the former CEO of the Czech Consolidation Agency and Robert Holman, a professor of economics and long-time advisor to President Klaus, have also joined the central bank's board, which consists of seven members - the governor, two vice-governors,

Czech Rep got more out of EU than it paid in; Slovak gov't promises to pay CSOB debt; Jobless rate at 10-month high; Five preliminary bids made for Cesky Telecom; Budweiser battle may go to Human Rights court; Cash registers to become mandatory; Jablotron's oversize mobile phone a huge success

This week we look at a plan to ban anonymous, prepaid mobile phone cards, which some Czech legislators say help organised criminal gangs avoid police detection.

This week, we look at the significance of a Prague visit by Bill Gates, the U.S. billionaire and founder of the Microsoft Corporation. A number of new Microsoft projects could be in the pipeline here, but those of you using pirated Czech-language software may be in for a nasty surprise.

Former Finance Minister off to prison; Minimum Social benefits to be cut in 2006; Prague richest 'region' in 'new Europe'; World Bank predicts less inflationary pressure for 2005; Beer union asks AgMin to axe Budvar ad campaign; TCPA to begin production at Kolin this month; Germany's Aral to quit check market

CNB board takes surprise action to cut interest rates; State to pay nearly 2bn crowns to Akro over 'tunnelled' CS fondy; Microsoft: Czech version of Windows to have validation process this year; Czechs seeking jobs abroad mostly interested in Britain and Ireland; Cabinet approves strategy to increase exports to China

EU ministers approve Czech deficit reduction plan; Oskar Mobil gets first shot at third UMTS license; Prague bourse accepts Orco Property Group foreign shares listing; Labour Ministry decides on subcontractor provisions; Czech exporters show preference for euros; Czech shoemakers losing out to Chinese imports

The governing Social Democrats are considering a major shift in their tax policy. They say they would like to reduce income taxes. What are their plans and what does the opposition think?

The state-run tourist authority predicts that the number of foreigners visiting the Czech Republic will jump another 10 percent this year, on top of the 15 percent rise noted in 2003, the first year after the "hundred-year" floods that swept through Central Europe and nearly dealt a knock-out blow to the industry.