The Czech Ministry of Finance has proposed a state budget deficit of 230 billion crowns (9.2 billion euros) for next year. The ministry published the information on the draft budget on its website at midnight.
Accordingly, the deficit reduction is to continue, with a deficit of 252 billion crowns (10.1 billion euros) planned for this year, compared to 288.5 billion crowns (11.5 billion euros) last year. Budget revenues are to rise by 7.5 percent to 2.086 trillion crowns (83.3 billion euros), and expenditure by 5.7 percent to 2.316 trillion crowns (92.5 billion euros).
Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura (Civic Democrats) described the proposed budget as growth-enhancing and said the government was borrowing mainly for investments.
The draft budget for next year is unacceptable for the Pirates, junior partner of the Czech government, as party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Ivan Bartoš told the media on Sunday. He wants to call for negotiations within the government coalition. In his opinion, consolidation cannot come at the price of “absolute resignation” in the housing program. He is calling for the program to be increased by 7 billion crowns (280 million euros).
