Prague, Sept 3 (CTK) – The number of ministers should be reduced from 16 to 13 and a sliding mandate should be introduced for lawmakers, Andrej Babis’ ANO says in its programme called Now or Never, unveiled for the Czech October general election on Sunday.
“A minister should work in the government, in the office, not sit in the Chamber of Deputies,” Babis said.
ANO wants to freeze the salaries of the Chamber of Deputies members on the current level for the whole next term of office.
If a deputy or senator becomes a government member, they should pass their seats to a replacement, managing their offices instead, the programme said.
At present, a number of ministers keep their posts in the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate.
ANO wants to abolish the post of human rights and legislative minister, now held by Jan Chvojka (Social Democrats, CSSD).
The agenda should be transferred to the Justice Ministry. It is now headed by Robert Pelikan from ANO.
The Agriculture Ministry should be merged with the Environment Ministry, the programme said.
“The agendas are strongly interconnected,” Environment Minister Richard Brabec said.
“I can imagine this because farmers are the biggest, the most important actors in the landscape. If there is a good minister, he can be very well both an agriculture and environment minister,” he added.
The post of government member in charge of science and research should also be abolished, the programme said.
Now it is held by Deputy Prime Minister Pavel Belobradek (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL).
The agenda should be divided among the industry and education ministries, the programme said.
