HIGHWAY - Toll systems provider Toll Sat will file a lawsuit against the Czech Republic over a controversial tender for a 1 billion Kc ($40.21 million) contract to build and operate the toll system on Czech highways, Lidové noviny reported Oct. 20. Toll Sat claims the tender doesn't comply with European Union regulations and lacks transparency.

DEFENSE - The state will secure its defense interests by contract prior to selling off the largest Czech arms producer, Aero Vodochody. The government, which owns nearly 100 percent of Aero, should receive a proposal for qualifying criteria for the first part of the two-year tender by the end of November.

RETIREMENT - The country should discourage people from taking early retirement and increase financial incentives to those who continue working after retirement age, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) states in a study on aging and employment policies. Older people are a valuable sector of the labor economy but are often underutilized, according to the study.

INSURANCE - Social insurance makes up 43.6 percent of the government's income, the highest figure among OECD countries, according to OECD statistics for 2003. By comparison, Denmark generates only 2.5 percent of its governmental income from social insurance. In Australia and New Zealand, the governments collect no income from social insurance.

CZECHINVEST - Radomil Novák has decided to leave the position of CzechInvest's CEO for family reasons. Novák will be replaced by Tomás Hruda, 28, the head of the agency's office in Japan, as of November. Novák, who replaced Martin Jahn last year, will lead the agency's office in the U.S. West Coast.