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A many as a hundred thousand sole entrepreneurs are likely to close their shops within the next three years. A large number of self-employed have shut-down their business since the beginning of this year due to changes in the tax system. This development is a cause for concern for the Business Association and Economic Chamber who have called on the government to meet and find a solution.

The Ministry of Finance has revised its macroeconomic forecast. The Czech parliament has overturned a presidential veto of a new law on Value Added Tax. The Czech government has agreed to sell the country's biggest downstream oil group Unipetrol to Poland's PKN Orlen. World Bank experts are coming to help the Czech Republic with a reform of the country's health sector. News from the car market - prices on the decline, Skoda to launch new mini model. Five percent of Czech households and companies have problems with repaying their loans and over

The Czech Republic's entry to the European Union on May 1st is a historic occasion and, as in the other nine "newcomer" countries, preparations for the big day are in full swing. Many border villages are draped in festive garb for the occasion in preparation of a day of food, drink and merrymaking with friends from across the border. Shops are sold out of EU flags and many schools have dropped regular lessons in favour of an "EU day" of knowledge quizzes, food bakes and competitions. Friday will bring open air parties across the country and on

As you undoubtedly know, the Czech Republic will join a number of other countries in acceding to the European Union in a few days time. One of the challenges facing this enlarged EU is that it must ensure ways of fostering and developing good relations with its new Eastern neighbours. Next week, a major international conference co-hosted by the Centre for the National Glory of Russia is being held in Prague, which will specifically address this issue. The conference will include a number of local luminaries such as former Czech Prime Minister Milos

The Czech Republic has received a great deal of money through various EU programmes ahead of accession. The question many Czechs are now asking is: will EU funds still be available once they and the other nine new countries join the Union on May 1? That's something I discussed with Ivo Slosarcik of the Prague-based think tank Europeum.

Czech voters already know the ballot sheet numbers of the political parties and groupings they can choose from in the country's first ever elections to the European Parliament in June. The parties registered to take part in the election were given their numbers in a draw held by the State Electoral Commission on Tuesday. And many say they are planning to use them in the upcoming campaign.

While food prices are like to rise after the Czech Republic joins the European Union on Saturday, the increases will be slight and gradual, the minister of agriculture, Jaroslav Palas, said on Tuesday. The minister said there were large differences in food prices among existing EU states, and that prices reflected citizens' purchasing power.

The agriculture chapter, the biggest and most complicated part of EU legislation, has undoubtedly been the most problematic chapter during accession talks. While the Czech Republic has taken quite a progressive step in the past 1.5 years to adopt hundreds of new or amended laws, it still has its work cut out for itself when it comes to modernising its veterinary system and extracting money from EU funds. Czech farmers too have been anything but silent, protesting against some of these new rules and regulations, which often call for costly investment

The Interior Ministry has registered 31 political parties preparing to vie for 24 possible seats in upcoming elections to the European Parliament in June. The Interior Ministry made the announcement through its website Saturday evening, noting that only one party had been denied: the so-called "Coalition for the European Restoration of the Death Sentence and True European Democracy". The party can appeal the decision in court. Other parties registered include all mainstream political parties in the Czech Parliament, as well as established non-parliamentary parties like the European Democrats and the Greens.

Meanwhile the party founded by highly-controversial businessman Viktor Kozeny, the so-called Civic Federal Democracy, has also successfully registered for the upcoming elections. Mr Kozeny is the former Czech financier wanted on criminal charges in both the Czech Republic and the U.S..

Just a week before the Czech Republic remains set to join the European Union in a wave of historic expansion, Czech President Vaclav Klaus has spoken at the Asian economic forum on the island of Po-ao, China, discussing the future of the EU. On Saturday the Czech president assured delegates that - despite the Czech Republic's joining - the country would remain open to the rest of the world. Mr Klaus compared EU accession to making an investment, which he added, need not always be a success. Meanwhile, during his appearance at the economic forum Mr Klaus had the opportunity to speak with former U.S. president George H.W. Bush, a former U.S. ambassador to China in the 1970s. One of the top issues discussed was the current situation in Iraq.