Daily news summary

ANO leader Babiš presents president with government line-up

ANO leader and prime minister designate Andrej Babiš has presented President Miloš Zeman with an official list of nominees for his second cabinet, formed together with the Social Democratic Party.

The list includes the Social Democrats’ nominee for the foreign affairs portfolio, Miroslav Poche, to whom the president has serious reservations. The Communists are also against his appointment.

Mr. Zeman is due to name the new government on Wednesday morning. According to Mr. Babiš it could undergo a vote of confidence in the lower house on July 11.

President Zeman meeting with ministerial candidates

President Miloš Zeman has met with several prospective ministers nominated by both ANO and the Social Democrats, who are set to form a two-party minority coalition backed by the Communists.

The candidates who met with President Zeman on Monday include slated industry and trade minister Marta Nováková, labour minister candidate Petr Krčál, culture minister nominee Antonín Staněk and Taťána Malá, the ANO party’s nominee for justice minister.

Verdict in second David Rath trial due this week

A six-year legal case involving former health minister and regional governor David Rath should reach a conclusion on Wednesday when a first-instance verdict is delivered by the Regional Court in Prague, Czech Television reported. Last week Mr. Rath’s final attempt to have the case moved to another court was rejected by Supreme Court judges.

Three years ago the Prague Regional Court sentenced Mr. Rath to eight and a half years in jail for allegedly taking kick-backs to rig public contracts. However, he was freed by an appeals court, which ruled that wiretaps used to prosecute him were inadmissible. The Supreme Court subsequently ruled such that recordings could be used as evidence.

Confidence in economy rises by 0.8 points in June

Confidence in the Czech economy rose in June with the main index increasing by 0.8 points to 100 points compared with May’s score, according to data released by the Czech Statistics Office on Monday.

Confidence among entrepreneurs was up by 1.2 points to 97.4 points, while consumer confidence dropped by 0.8 percent month-on-month to 113 points.

Compared to figures from this time last year, the overall indicator is up by nearly three points.

Leo Express enters Polish market

The private Czech train and bus operator Leo Express has announced the launch of a new railway link from Prague to Warsaw. In a press release on Monday, the company said the twice-a-week connection would be in operation as of July 20.

According to the news website e15.cz, Leo Express paid around 15 million crowns to enter the Polish market and has become the first private operator on the Polish railways.

Berdych drops out of men’s top 20

Czech men’s number one singles player Tomáš Berdych has dropped out of the top 20 rankings for the first time since 2010, following a series of defeats and prolonged health problems. The 32-year-old Czech is currently ranked 23rd in the ATP rankings.

Berdych might also drop out of the top 50, due to persistent back pain which forced him to pull out of Wimbledon. The Czech number one reached his only Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in 2010, losing to Rafael Nadal, and has been a semi-finalist for the last two years.

Weather

Tuesday is expected to be slightly overcast with occasional rain showers and daytime highs ranging between 19 and 23 degrees Celsius.