Bela pod Bezdezem, Central Bohemia, Aug 23 (CTK) – Wages, mainly in education, health and social services, transport as well as social and health care will dominate the autumn Senate and regional elections, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) told reporters on Tuesday.
The senior government CSSD will officially launch its election campaign in Plzen, west Bohemia, on Tuesday, while its final rally is to be held in Brno, Sobotka said during the opening of the sport and recreational complex near Bela pod Bezdezem.
The elections to the regional assemblies and one-third of the 81-Senate, the upper house of Czech parliament, will be held on October 7-8, and the second round of the Senate polls a week later.
Sobotka said some time ago that we would consider it a success if his party kept its strongest position in the regions and in the Senate.
The CSSD has now 11 out of 13 regional governors and is in all regional coalitions. Its senator group has 33 members.
The CSSD election candidates are touring towns and villages now, Sobotka said.
In the election campaign, the CSSD wants to focus on the rise in living standards, including pay rise in health care, schools as well as culture and social services.
The CSSD will also guarantee that no regional healthcare and social facilities will be privatised, Sobotka said.
Transport, such as the reconstructions of roads, will be one of the priority topics. The CSSD will also promote lower public transport fare in the regions for children and the elderly.
The CSSD’s election campaign is to cost some 80 million crowns, including Internet advertising, billboards and rallies.
