FOREIGNERS Czech hospitals charge higher prices to foreigners, the daily Lidové noviny reported Oct. 19. Foreign patients had to pay more in five of the eight hospitals it checked. An African woman paid more than four times the normal rate for magnetic resonance imaging in Hradec Králové, east Bohemia, the paper said. The Health Ministry said that it would investigate the matter.

BUDGET The Chamber of Deputies budget committee failed to take a clear stance Oct. 24 on the draft of the state budget for 2007. Nine deputies voted in favor of the budget and nine voted against it. The Social Democrats challenged the planned privatization of power company ČEZ. The budget draft has a deficit of 91.3 billion Kč ($4 billion).

HYUNDAI The Anti-Monopoly Office approved state support Oct. 23 for the construction of Hyundai's plant in north Moravia. The carmaker can receive subsidies worth up to 2.4 billion Kč for the plant's construction. Hyundai and its 15 subcontractors could get another 2.5 billion Kč through 2011 for meeting job creation and staff retraining incentives.

HOSTAGES Employees at a Karsit factory in Roubaix, France, held nine Czech managers hostage for six hours Oct. 19, fearing that the company would move its production to the Czech Republic. The Czechs arrived in France to analyze the situation at the factory, which was 2.5 million euros ($3.1 million/70.9 million Kč) in debt. The employees released the managers with the help of the Czech consulate and French authorities.

ELECTIONS The results of the local elections and the first round of the Senate elections will likely have a positive effect on the economy, according to analysts polled by the Czech News Agency (ČTK) Oct. 22. The election-winning Civic Democrats would now be able to push to end the four-month-long stalemate, which has caused investor uncertainty.

INSPECTIONS One out of every three inspections by the Czech Retail Inspection (ČOI) this year has found a violation, up 0.6 percent from 2005, a ČOI spokeswoman said Oct. 22. The ČOI has banned the sale of goods worth more than 725 million Kč this year, including counterfeit audio and video players worth nearly 640 million Kč.

EXPANSION Global retail chains will continue expansion into the Czech market in 2007, ČTK reported Oct. 20. Retailers will focus on smaller towns where competition in retail is not strong. The 10 largest retail chains account for 53 percent of the Czech market for consumer goods, according to data from analyst firm Incoma Research.

INCOME Six out of 10 Czechs think they should be paid more for their work, a decrease of 10 percent since 1999, according to a poll released by the CVVM agency Oct. 20. One-third of the people polled said their income was adequate. Only 1 percent said they are paid more than they deserve.

THURSDAY, OCT. 26

The American Chamber of Commerce hosts a policy discussion with Jan Sváček and Monika Vacková, chairman and deputy chairwoman of the Prague Municipal Court. The discussion will include e-justice, the commercial registry and IPR disputes. For info, e-mail Iveta Havlová at law@amcham.cz

THURSDAY, NOV. 2

The American Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council holds a seminar titled "How to increase visits to your company Web site." The event features Martin Howlings, founder of Expats.cz. Reservations are required. For more information, visit www.amcham.cz

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 22

The American Chamber of Commerce holds an HR seminar on motivating teams with Jorge Cooper of Dynargie. Reservations are required. For more information, visit www.amcham.cz

THURSDAY, Nov. 23

The American Chamber of Commerce hosts a policy discussion with Tomáš Hruda, CEO of CzechInvest. The discussion will include inflow of foreign direct investments, future of investment incentives and support of small and midsize enterprises. Register at business@amcham.cz to participate.