Chamber of Deputies to Debate 2018 Budget Next Week

The lower house of Parliament will meet on Tuesday to start debating the 2018 state budget. As approved by the outgoing government the budget has a deficit of 50 billion crowns.

Deputy Finance Minister Alena Schillerová, who is to serve as finance minister in the new government, would like to see it approved without major changes, but observers predict a tough battle ahead. Deputies, including those of the outgoing coalition, are proposing shifts amounting to sixty billion crowns.

The lower house needs to approve the budget by the end of the year otherwise the country would have to start operating on a provisional budget.