Babiš says ANO will not increase next year’s budget deficit

Andrej Babiš said Friday his movement does not plan to increase the state budget deficit for next year, though he did not specify the target figure. The outgoing government’s draft foresees a deficit of 286 billion crowns, compared with 241 billion this year.  Babiš said the proposal would need to be revised to include funding for health care, transport infrastructure, and EU projects. He plans to discuss it with his potential coalition partners, the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party and the Motorists’ party. Motorists’ leader Petr Macinka said his party first wants to review the outgoing cabinet’s proposal and called on the government to resubmit the budget to the Chamber of Deputies. He criticized the cabinet’s refusal to do so as “childish” and said the Motorists will present their own ideas on where to save money next week.