Prague, Oct 12 (CTK) – The gambling lobby has manipulated two Czech coalition deputies, Jan Bartosek (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) a Ladislav Sincl (Social Democrats, CSSD), Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) told journalists before a meeting of the coalition council yesterday.
Babis said the coalition was not working very well now.
Either it will act in unity or it does not make sense, he added.
“There is the problem that within the coalition, there are some deputies, Bartosek and Sincl, manipulated by the gambling lobby headed by opposition TOP 09 deputy chairman Miroslav Kalousek,” Babis said.
“These were the representatives manipulated by the gambling lobby and who made the obstructions, while senator Ivo Valenta supervised it from a balcony,” Babis said.
Last week, the Chamber of Deputies debated the legislation that is to increase the taxation of’gambling.
So far, the coalition has not been able to have them passed.
Babis went on to comment the verbal exchange between him and Christian Democrats leader Pavel Belobradek.
Belobradek told Czech Television on Sunday Babis was violating the democratic rules by his ANO movement.
Babis said he did not expect the affair to be dealt with by the coalition council as suggested by some ANO members.
“I have the feeling that the coalition is not working very well,” Babis said.
“We have to agree whether we will act in unity in the Chamber of Deputies or not,” he added.
