CONSUMPTION

Growing household consumption may lead to higher prices and force the Czech National Bank to raise interest rates, analysts told the Czech News Agency (ČTK) Dec. 8. Czech gross domestic product per capita grew to $20,157 (424,910 Kč) in 2005, ranking the country 17th among the 25 European Union members, according to the Czech Statistical Office.

DOCTORS

Health Minister Tomáš Julínek wants Czech hospitals to hire doctors from Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia, ČTK reported Dec. 8. Julínek wants the influx of foreign doctors to fill the vacancies created in January, when the new Labor Code takes effect, which will severely limit doctors' ability to work extra hours. The Doctors' Trade Union and the Czech Medical Chamber have welcomed the new Labor Code.

MINIMUM WAGE

The government will raise the minimum wage 45 Kč to 8,000 Kč per month, the Labor and Social Affairs Minister Petr Nečas told ČTK Dec. 7. Nečas said that higher minimum wages would threaten jobs. Labor Union Chairman Milan Štěch said the increase is "one of the first more distinctly anti-employee steps the new government has taken."

TRADE

Czech trade with Poland grew to a record $10 billion this year, up from $8.5 billion in 2005, according to preliminary data released by CzechTrade Dec. 7. The amount of Czech investment in Poland is also increasing, led by state-run power producer ČEZ's purchase of two power plants in Poland. Škoda is the top-selling car brand on the Polish market.

FLIGHTS

Czech Airlines (ČSA) will cancel direct flights from Prague to Dubai beginning in January, ČSA spokeswoman Daniela Hupaková told the daily Mladá fronta Dnes Dec. 11. Hupáková said the airline canceled the run because it was not profitable. The flight was the only direct connection between the Czech Republic and the Middle East, although Qatar Airways has recently announced its interest in offering flights to Central Europe.

READERSHIP

The two most-read Czech dailies — Mladá fronta Dnes and Blesk — saw an increase in circulation in October, while readership at all other papers fell. Still, the tabloid Blesk's sales dropped 90,000 copies from October 2005. The daily Právo saw its lowest circulation since March 1993, the first month such data was collected.

STUDIO

Barrandov Studios completed the construction of the largest soundproof stage in Europe. The cost of the project, which began in March, doubled to 200 million Kč, said Tomáš Chrenek, chairman of the company's supervisory board. The new complex consists of two 1,000-square-meter (10,764-square-foot) stages, and a third stage measuring 2,000 square meters. It is possible to combine the stages to create a 4,000-square-meter studio.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 13

The Nordic Chamber of Commerce is holding a traditional Scandinavian Lucia party, with a buffet of glögg, pepparkakor and carved Christmas ham. For more info, visit www.nordicchamber.cz

THURSDAY, DEC. 14

The American Chamber of Commerce introduces a program designed to facilitate business travel to the United States. In coordination with the U.S. Embassy, the American Chamber will process business travel applications and shorten the physical process of visa approval to three business days. For more info, contact Sandra Krütznerová on 222 322 106.

FRIDAY, DEC. 15

The Czech-Belgium-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Christmas business lunch with Miroslav Singer, vice governor of the Czech National Bank. Key topics will include domestic and international financial markets and problems with adopting the euro. For more info, e-mail cblkomora@nextra.cz

TUESDAY, JAN. 16

The Netherlands Chamber of Commerce invites its members to a New Year's dinner at Restaurant Don Giovanni in Prague 1. Further details will be published in early January.