Prague, Feb 22 (CTK) – The Czech Chamber of Deputies has passed the legislation enabling the subsidies for the operation of research institutions and their material costs despite the government’s negative position yesterday.
Deputy Prime Minister in charge of research Pavel Belobradek (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) then withdrew his rival version of the legislation.
Belobradek said the bill, submitted by the Chamber of Deputies, was redundant because it was possible to use EU directives instead.
However, he admitted that universities, including the Czech Rectors Conference, insisted on the enactment of the amendment that was yet to be debated by the Senate.
The legislation is to prevent a crippling of the system of sponsoring research and development due to the changes in legislation passed last year.
It is to solve the state of affairs in which subsidies can only be spent on projects, not on the operation of the institutions dealing with research and development.
The bill also deals with the material costs so that, e.g. a chemist could buy chemicals, TOP 09 deputy Frantisek Vacha said.
The change will also cover the payment of various investments such as the purchase of instruments and buildings.
