Daily news summary

Respekt: Tax inspectors looking at bonds purchased by Babiš at Agrofert

The Financial Administration, the national tax authority, has been carrying out an inspection at ANO chief Andrej Babiš’s Agrofert company, the website of the weekly Respekt reported on Sunday. It said inspectors were also looking at the bonds that Mr. Babiš purchased from the firm in the past. Critics accuse him of buying crown bonds from Agrofert whose revenue is not taxable. For his part the ANO leader says the claims are part of an organised campaign against him.

Senior Social Democrat wants coalition meeting over Babiš bonds explanation

The head of the Social Democrats’ deputies group, Roman Sklenák, says the coalition parties should convene a meeting to consider a letter sent by ANO chief Andrej Babiš that was meant to explain how he purchased bonds in his Agrofert company. Mr. Sklenák said on Sunday that the explanation proffered was unsatisfactory and unacceptable. The issue has sharply divided the two biggest parties in the government and Social Democrats chief Bohuslav Sobotka has threatened to dismiss Mr. Babiš. Also speaking on Sunday, the Social Democrats' Jan Hamáček said the ANO leader should resign from the government himself.

Poll sees Civic Democrats close to Social Democrats, Christian Democrats and Mayors entering lower house

If elections were held this month ANO would triumph with 31.5 percent ahead of the Social Democrats on 12 percent, suggests a new opinion poll conducted for Czech Television by the Kantar TNS polling agency and published on Sunday. Closing in on the Social Democrats are the right-wing Civic Democrats, who would receive 11.5 percent, the survey indicates. It also puts the alliance of the Christian Democrats and the Mayors and Independents on 10.5 percent, ahead of the 10 percent the two would need together to cross the threshold to enter the lower house. Elections are scheduled for October.

Average state sector salary at CZK 28,393 in 2016

The average salary of Czech state sector employees grew to CZK 28,393 last year, according to official government figures. It was a year-on-year rise of CZK 1,500 on the average in 2015 and around CZK 800 more than the average for all workers across the economy. The highest paid state employees were court prosecutors while teachers in the regions received the lowest pay.

Airbus A380 forced to land in Prague after lighting strike

Passengers on an Emirates flight were forced to change planes unexpectedly at Prague’s Václav Havel Airport on Saturday after their original Airbus A380 was hit by lightning, iDnes.cz reported. A substitute plane was sent from London to pick them up and it was the first time two Airbus A380s had ever been in Prague at the same time, the news site said. The Airbus A380 is the world’s largest passenger plane.

Czechs win home Games with resounding victory over Sweden

The Czech ice hockey team have won the home Carlson Hockey Games after an 8:4 win over Sweden in České Budějovice on Saturday evening gave them an unassailable lead in the competition. The Czechs came from two goals behind in the second period against the Swedes to triumph in the final tournament in the Euro Hockey Tour series. The hosts were wearing retro strips recreating the outfits worn by the first Czechoslovak world champions from 1947.

Weather forecast

It should be cloudy with some bright spells and temperatures of up to 15 degrees Celsius on Monday. Daytime highs in the following days will reach around 13 degrees Celsius and rain is expected.