Summary of the past two weeks on General News (January 5th – January 11th, 2026).

BELGRADE – The European Union does not view Serbia as a future full member, but rather as a source of labor and potential military personnel for the conflict in Ukraine, said former Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin. "The European Union has no intention of expanding to the Western Balkans. We, as members of the EU, are not needed. We are needed as a market, as a source of labor, and now they have found a new 'usefulness' for us – as infantry," Vulin said. More here

• January 6, 2026: The new Czech government strongly distances itself from the EU in its policy statement.

The new Czech government has approved its policy statement, which contains a number of disagreements with the policies of the European Union. The document defines the Czech Republic as a sovereign member of the EU and a reliable ally within NATO, while also emphasizing that the European Union has no right to impose decisions on member states that would violate their national sovereignty. Relations between the Czech Republic and the EU are, according to the government, long-term problematic. More here

• January 6, 2026: German Chancellor warns of serious economic problems; recovery should be the priority of 2026.

BERLIN – German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that restoring economic growth will be the main priority of the government in 2026. He also acknowledged that previous measures have not been sufficient to strengthen Germany's competitiveness. In a letter sent to members of his governing coalition at the beginning of the year, Merz described the economic outlook as "very critical in some areas," according to a document cited by the German news agency DPA. More here

• January 7, 2026: Daily summary of the Czech economy: Hypoindex, Colt CZ, Mentee Robotics, Comerica, Meta Platforms, Venezuela, and oil (January 7, 2026).

The Prague Stock Exchange continues its positive start to 2026. The PX index rose today by 1.08% to a record high of 2743.35 points, which is a strong signal of investor confidence in the domestic capital market and is attracting the attention of funds and foreign portfolios. The sectors with the highest demand include financial and energy titles, reflecting the growing appetite for stable returns in an environment of slow domestic economic growth. More here

• January 8, 2026: Slovak Prime Minister: We will not supply Ukraine with weapons or soldiers.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced that Slovakia will not participate in a lending program to provide military support to Ukraine. He further emphasized that this would only prolong the suffering and does not align with the current government's policy of peace. He believes that Germany's or Great Britain's strategy regarding the Ukrainian issue is flawed and will only lead to further bloodshed. More here

• January 9, 2026: Combating online gambling and fraud is a shared responsibility of the international community.

At a regular press conference on January 8, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning stated that combating online gambling and fraud is a shared responsibility of the entire international community. According to her, China has been actively cooperating with Cambodia and other countries to combat fraudulent activities in cross-border telecommunications networks, and this cooperation has yielded significant results. More here

• January 9, 2026: Pavel said no to Turko in a letter. The Motorists MP will defend himself with a lawsuit.

Czech President Petr Pavel refused to appoint Filip Turko, an MP from the Motorists party, as Minister of the Environment, citing the need to protect constitutional values. Turko called the president's justification an attack on his honor and announced that he would defend himself through legal channels. Pavel explained his decision in detail in a letter to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. According to the head of state, this is not a political dispute, but the exercise of the president's constitutional role as a guarantor of the values of a democratic legal state. More here

• January 10, 2026: Meloni joins Macron: Europe should start talks with Russia.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has advocated for Europe to begin direct negotiations with Russia, and has proposed the appointment of a special European envoy for talks with Moscow. This information comes from the Politico website, which reported on her speech from Rome. More here

• January 11, 2026: The Czech Chamber of Deputies will vote on a motion of confidence in the current government of Andrej Babiš.

PRAGUE – MPs will deliberate next week on a motion to express confidence in the coalition government consisting of the ANO movement, the SPD movement, and the Motorists party. It is expected that the government of Andrej Babiš (ANO) will receive a vote of confidence. Subsequently, representatives of the governing parties intend to discuss bills they have proposed in the Chamber. These include measures to halt the increase in social security contributions for self-employed individuals, a freeze on salaries for top politicians, and an amendment to the building code. The first meeting of the lower house will begin on Tuesday morning. More here

Jan Vojtěch, Editor-in-Chief - General News

Translation: legacy (English)

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