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Vehicle producer Tatra is an iconic name in the Czech Republic and indeed in the world of car and truck production. The Czech company claims to be the second oldest car manufacturer in the world with its first model, the Präsident, being rolled out in 1897. The first truck followed a year later at the plant in Kopřivnice, in the far east of the country in the Moravia-Silesia region.

CzechTrade, the government agency tasked with boosting Czech exports, has just gathered most of its around 50 top representatives from outposts all around the world together in Prague. The purpose was to give bosses from Czech companies the chance to be briefed about export opportunities and overall economic conditions in the countries where it’s located.

A small nuclear power plant outside every city providing heat and power. Alternatively, a safe and reliable power supply for large parts of the undeveloped world or isolated settlements. That’s not science fiction but almost already science fact. And Czech scientists are looking to build on their long running research and expertise in this field by helping to develop a small reactor that in three decades or more could be powering a large part of the world.

The Czech coalition government has just celebrated three years in power. And if there’s one feature that has perhaps set it aside from its predecessor is the lack of corruption scandals. There have been one or two spread far apart, but that’s about it. So a drop in the country’s ranking in anti-corruption and good government watchdog Transparency International’s corruption perception index was an unwelcome gift. We look at some of the reasons for the fall.

A comprehensive survey mapping the state of the Czech Internet economy has just been completed by the companies most closely involved. The results are a mixed bag, but the basic message is that while Czech companies are forging ahead they are often doing so without much government help or even in the face of government obstacles. And the state’s efforts to ease the life of citizens by rolling out e-government initiatives is also taken to task.

Health looks set to be one of the political battlegrounds in upcoming Czech elections scheduled to take place in October. Some of the lines are already being drawn and that’s just between the two leading government parties, the Social Democrats, and ANO. And while the Czech healthcare system appears to be functioning pretty well, there are clear signs of strain and questions about where future financing will come from and whether the tried and tested framework should stay the same.

In times of boom and for selected fields of employment the Czech Republic has frequently looked East to supplement its labour force. A decade or two ago, the target was Slovak nurses and doctors. Now, there’s a system in place offering a supposedly fast track recruitment system for Ukrainians seeking skilled and not so skilled job for large parts of Czech industry. But the system has been beset by problems and there have been disagreements about how to go forward.

The coming 12 months look fairly positive for the Czech economy with growth still expected to be strong and some room seen for unemployment to slide even further. But the big headline event for 2017 is likely to be the exit from the low crown regime that’s been in place for just over three years now. The move itself and the way it is handled will have a major impact on trade, investment, growth and jobs.

A low cost high performance battery is commonly described as the Holy Grail for today’s intensive energy using world. And a Czech inventor believes he has come up with just that battery by applying nano technology to the way traditional batteries are produced. And to prove the point, the first production line producing those batteries has been launched in Prague.

No less than three government ministers attended an international conference about the role and status of Czech family firms this week. As well as the conference itself, interest has been sparked by the anomalous position of family firms in the country amid new moves to give them a clearer and higher profile role as many face up to crucial decisions.