Prague, Dec 11 (CTK) – Social Democrats (CSSD) want to increase child benefits in order to increase the net income of the families, to be higher than if they were on welfare, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka told Czech Television (CT) yesterday.
Sobotka said he wanted to unveil the proposal in a greater detail along with Labour and Social Affairs Minister Michaela Marksova (CSSD) next week, after the meeting at which her work would be reviewed.
“The increase is to be so big that it will make the families living on welfare work,” Sobotka said, adding that if the proposal were not passed in the current coalition government along with ANO and Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), this would be one of the Social Democrat election topics.
The next general election is scheduled for next autumn.
When it comes to individuals, the government has managed to increase the incomes of the working people as against those on welfare, Sobotka said.
This is so also thanks to the growth in the minimum wage, he added.
“The absurd system in which those who work earn less than those on welfare cannot be here,” Sobotka said.
Sobotka said he would like the minimum wage to be increased by the current coalition government as of 2018 so that it reached 40 percent of the average salary.
This would mean roughly 12,000 crowns a month.
Starting next January, the minimum wage will rise by 1100 crowns to 11,000, which is about 38.2 percent of the average salary.
($1 = 25.588 crowns)
