The Czech cabinet approved on Monday its 2018 central state budget draft with a planned deficit of CZK 50 billion, the last finance plan for the centre-left ruling coalition before an October election. The gov’t is aiming to boost teachers’ pay and other salaries while also trimming a deficit seen at CZK 60 billion in 2017. The state has had little trouble with financing while the country has the lowest unemployment in the EU and a fast-growing economy.
