In its decision from October 2015, the Government of the Czech Republic corrected its raw material and energy policies by modifying the scope of the territorial ecological limits placed on the mining of lignite. Such action is impacting the energy sector operating in the North Bohemian Basin, the largest region for lignite production in the Czech Republic. This article explains the background of the mining restrictions and the significance of the Czech government’s decision to amend them for the district heating industry; the composition of the future energy portfolio for electricity production; and the energy security of the Czech Republic.

The book analyses activities of Russian state-owned energy companies in the region of the Central and Eastern Europe and offers a complex analysis of their behavioural patterns with regard to the operational environment. The main incentives for making this study were traditionally strong ties between the Russian Federation and the region as well as currently worsening relations between Russia and the West, especially with regard to the crisis in Ukraine. The study focuses on the sectors of nuclear energy and natural gas where Russian influence is perceived as especially sensitive. The aim of the study was to find out whether Russian state-owned enterprises in the aforementioned sectors can be perceived as foreign policy tools. The study is a result of an extensive research project conducted by a research team consisting of analysts from the Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University and the Prague-based think-tank Prague security Studies Institute. For the purpose of the study, the research team developed behavioural models upon which behavioural patterns of the Russian companies Gazprom and Rosatom were assessed. The study is focused on 12 countries and includes also an extensive field research and use of analytical software. For complex understanding of the strategy of both aforementioned companies, chapters aimed on their position in Asia as well as the chapter concerned with the energy policy of the European Union are included. Given the complexity of the presented study, the findings can be used by both broader public and experts, as well as practitioners and decision makers in state administration and private sector.