Taxes changes are expected in Czech Republic. The flat income tax is supposed to rise to 16-18 percent, and VAT is about to rise as well. The VAT rise will possibly cause correspondingly raises of variety of goods and service prices, including water, heat and medicines.

Last year, a government investigator had published a research supporting the claims of Gypsy (Roma) women, who accused Czech doctors of coercive sterilization during the Soviet era. In that period, Gypsy (Roma) sterilization was a national policy, aimed to diminish poverty and extend family planning among Gypsies (Romanies). This practice was part of the eugenics policy, which was widely accepted in Europe and the United States in the 19th - 20th centuries. In 1979, the human rights group Charter 77 announced this policy to be a sort of genocide.

The sterilization was often applied on women after number of births. The women were told that they are about to go through an urgent necessary operation, and gave formal confirmation to sterilization without understanding, that the operation will prevent them from giving birth again. Most of them assumed that sterilization is a kind of body cleansing.

The Health Ministry of Czech Republic acknowledges the problem, but refuse to take responsibility. The Roma (Gypsy) activists say, that the practice of Gypsy involuntary sterilization, which began during the Soviet era, still continues.

Czech Republic is widely known for its famous beer. The local breweries produce more than 470 kinds of beer, including brand names such as Pilsner Urquell and Budweiser Budvar. Czech is considered to be among the biggest beer enthusiasts in the world, with an average of 50-liter of beer consumed per person every year. However, the recent poll reveals that while 40% of the Czech population is regular beer drinkers, more than 50% of Czechs hardly drink any beer at all. Older men dominate the “regular drinkers” category.

Czech population must overcome the process of continuous grow. By March 2006, it has reached 10,259,017 inhabitants. The biggest population rise was due to the wave of immigration to the country, mostly from Ukraine, Slovakia and Vietnam. The total number of immigrants to the Czech Republic is estimated to be about 65,000 a year.

Czech Republic is currently making the necessary preparations for Euro adoption, which is scheduled for 2010. This year Czech is about to overcome two steps leading up to Euro adoption: planning the entire scenario of euro admission, and ratification of a national plan for euro admission.

Western currency firms are warning their customers from the emerging markets weakening. The CZK exchange rate has fallen recently to 28,36 CZK/EUR and 22.67 CZK/USD.

More than 30 shopping centers are currently running in Czech Republic, the most prominent functioning in Prague are: Tesco, IKEA, Kotva etc. During 2005, five new malls opened throughout the country, three of them in Prague: Eden Carrefour Galerie Butovice and Centrum Chodov. Metropole shopping center at Zličín in Prague was expanded. By the end of 2007, 13 more malls are expected to open in Prague, including Palladium shopping center in náměstí Republiky in Prague’s historic city center.

The massive development of consumption infrastructure in Prague leads to emergence of entire shopping areas, such as Na Příkopě Street and Pařížská Street.

The pop queen Madonna will perform for the first time in Prague at the beginning of September. Both her shows, the first one on September 6 and the second one on September 7, will take place in Prague’s Sazka Arena. The cost of a ticket for the Madonna’s show is estimated to be in the neighborhood of 3000 – 5000 CZK.

A policeman physically attacked Katerina Jacques, the Green Party member and deputy, while protesting a neo-Nazi demonstration. Tomas Cermak, the policeman who personally attacked Jacques, was charged with abuse of public office and restricting other’s freedom. Police President Vladislav Husak decided to punish the so the police deputy head Zdenek Bezouska for this accident as well.

Three budget airlines are expected to add new routes to Czech capital. The first company is the budget Ireland’s carrier Aer Lingus, which initiates flights between Cork (western Ireland) and Prague in October. Additionally, Ireland’s United Travel announced an introduction of flights from Galway, western Ireland, to Prague in September. Finally, British budget carrier Jet2.com is expected to launch a new route to Prague the coming winter.