Prague, April 10 (CTK) – The raising of pensions by 500 crowns monthly in 2018 of which Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) is speaking would increase the overall spending on pensions by 22.3 billion crowns to almost 450 billion, Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) said today.
He said pensions were raised by 17 billion crowns this year already.
Pensions are the biggest chapter of the budget every year.
Salaries will be the second highest item of the budget next year, Babis said.
He pointed out that the government has already agreed to raise the salaries of employees in security corps and base pay should also be increased in culture and social services.
Education Minister Katerina Valachova (CSSD) also demands more money for her ministry. The budget would raise for a third time in a row.
“Education is underfinanced by 50 to 60 billion crowns,” she said today.
She said she will do everything to gain money for a new career order of teachers and a change in schools’ financing.
Sobotka said pensions will be one of the priorities in creating the 2018 budget.
The draft must be prepared by the end of September and in October a general election will be held.
The Czech government regularly approves the expenditure framework at the end of April and the beginning of May.
($1=24.999 crowns)
