Prague, Dec 7 (CTK) – The Chamber of Deputies passed the Czech state budget for next year yesterday, with the revenues set at 1249.3 billion crowns and the expenditures set at 1309.3 billion crowns.
The budget deficit is projected at 60 billion in 2017, compared with 70 billion this year.
All MPs from the government coalition voted for the budget, along with two unaffiliated MPs, while the opposition voted against it. The budget was supported by 104 votes and 70 MPs rejected it.
The 2017 budget bill is yet to be signed into law by the president. The other house of parliament, the Senate, does not deal with the budget.
Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) rejected the opposition’s criticism that few investments are projected in the budget. He said it is essential that both the deficit and the state debt has been gradually decreasing.
In the final reading yesterday, the Chamber approved only those financial transfers in the 2017 budget that Babis supported, such as more money for salaries of teachers and scholars at universities, for social services and for reconstruction of historical buildings.
The opposition failed to push through any of its proposals. Among others, it called for the lowering of the budget of the Presidential Office.
($1=25.191 crowns)
