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Were all those pre-European Union entry fears of price hikes justifiable? And just who needs to transform their economy more, anyway; new members like the Czechs, or perhaps old-hands like France and Germany? Wood & Co. brokerage's Jan Sykora sets the record straight.

Throughout Europe, the elections to the European Parliament this weekend have failed to arouse enthusiasm or passion. Here in the Czech Republic the elections are a historic moment, coming just six weeks after the country joined the EU. But as Rob Cameron found out, when he took to the streets of Prague, opinion polls predicting a low turn-out and little voter interest, seem to be well-founded:

The Czech atomic safety bureau, the SUJB, has said it will file a "diplomatic complaint" against the European Commission in protest of a surprise visit EU inspectors paid to the Temelin nuclear power plant on Wednesday.

Economic figures for May had been awaited in the Czech Republic with some apprehension. Not only was it the month when the country joined the European Union, but we also saw one of the most significant tax reforms in the last ten years, to bring value added tax rates in line with other EU countries. Given that we saw a rise in VAT for many goods and services - such as cigarettes or eating in restaurants - there were fears of a leap in overall consumer prices. But latest figures suggest that prices remained relatively stable, and that joining the

If the Freedom Union does not do well in the upcoming European Parliament elections, that will not lead the party to quit the governing coalition, party head Petr Mares said on Monday. Opinion polls suggest the Freedom Union will fall some way short of the five-percent threshold in the elections, which take place on Friday and Saturday and are the first in the history of the Czech Republic.

This week the first ever European Parliamentary elections will take place in the Czech Republic. Czech people will choose their Euro deputies from a wide list of candidates presented by 31 political parties. It is the first time Czechs are voting for an international body, so for many it is not clear yet what their attitude towards these elections will be.

World Bank takes Czech bureacracy to task. FDI to reach $5 billion. ING launches investment fund devoted to central European property.

Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament, paid a flying visit to Prague on Monday. Mr Cox's trip to the Czech capital was certainly a timely one in that it has helped generate interest in next month's elections to the European Parliament, which have reportedly met with an apathetic response among the Czech populace. One recent survey suggests that as little as 47% of eligible Czech citizens will bother to turn out and vote in next month's poll.

The head of European Parliament Pat Cox -in Prague on Monday -indicated he would be willing to run for the post of president of the European Commission. Speaking in Prague, Mr Cox added however, he did not know whether he would be asked to do so. In a little under one month's time current EU Commission president Romano Prodi will step down from his post to be replaced by a new head of the Commission elected by the European Council. Names that have been mentioned in connection with the post along with Mr Cox include Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, considered the favourite, as well as others like Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel, or European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten.

How do you encourage people to have babies? One mayor has tried booking a hotel and paying for dinner. Forget the DVD -the cinema train's coming! And, museums seen "in a new light" -after dark. Find out more in Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.