Opposition ČSSD to propose changes to gov't cuts

Prague, March 15 (CTK) - The Czech opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) will propose changes to some points of the government package of welfare cuts that it considers the most problematic, when parliament discusses them anew, CSSD acting head Bohuslav Sobotka said Tuesday.

The Constitutional Court (US) abolished on Monday the respective law as from December 31, 2011, saying its passing in a state of legislative emergency was not correct.

It did not object to the law's content, however. The US gave the government until the year's end in order not cause chaos if it abolished the law right now.

The court complied with a proposal by the CSSD that said the way the government pushed the legislation through parliament late last year was at variance with the constitution.

The goal of the legislative emergency was to silence the opposition, as it limited its chance to comment on the changes discussed, the CSSD said.

The government says the package of cuts in the welfare field will save more than 23.5 billion crowns and will help decrease the state budget deficit.

The law provides for many changes in the field of health insurance, state welfare support and the state policy of employment.

"We will be proposing changes both in the Chamber of Deputies and in the Senate, and we will try to change the law. We, Social Democracy and the opposition, will fully use the opportunity the Constitutional Court gave us," Sobotka said.

He said the government is again preparing to push through its proposal by force, without communication with the opposition.

Sobotka said the CSSD will minimally propose changes based on the ombudsman's criticism.

The ombudsman came out against the plan to cut unemployment benefits paid out to people who end their employment by agreement or hand in their resignation.

He said this affects people who feel bullied at work.

"I suppose we will also propose to delete those parts of the law that are the most problematic from the welfare point of view, such as the abolition of the social benefit for the poorest families with children, which relates mainly to single mothers," Sobotka said.

Labour and Social Affairs Minister Jaromir Drabek (TOP 09) said he only plans slight changes to the law.

He said he will only leave out points relating exclusively to the year 2011, such as raising the social insurance cap to six-times the average pay.

The government has already decided to decrease the cap to four times the average wage.

Representatives of the deputy groups of the three centre-right government parties, the Civic Democrats (ODS), TOP 09 and Public Affairs (VV), are ready to again pass the package of welfare cuts without changes.

The opposition can only slow down the process of passing the legislation because the three parties have a majority of 118 votes in the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies.