Prague, May 17 (CTK) – The Senate on Thursday called on the government to immediately and intensively focus on support for Czech regions in which the structure of the economy needs to be changed, namely the Moravia-Silesia Region, the Karlovy Vary Region and the Usti Region.
The Senate regional development committee said the economic situation has been deteriorating for a long time especially the Usti and Karlovy Vary Regions and smaller border areas.
Senator Jan Hornik (Mayors and Independents, STAN), elected for Karlovy Vary, said the regions do not annually get the expected eight billion crowns for their development from the 42 billion crowns from five-year programme Restart for areas in which coal mining was halted.
The government should intervene, both financially and non-financially, to support the local authorities throguh the state budget and the provision of the basic public services such as education and health care, the Senate said.
Senator Alena Dernerova, elected from the coal-mining centre Most, said people from socially excluded locations would never work if they could get welfare benefits that were higher that the salary in the state-subsidised job due to the generous social policy.
Regional Development Minister Klara Dostalova (ANO) reported to the senators about a planned programme in support of regions.
