Cabinet to debate salary increase for politicians

The government will discuss a proposed hike in the salaries of politicians, judges and prosecutors at its session in Prague on Wednesday. Following criticism from the opposition parties, Labour Minister Marian Jurečka announced on Sunday that he would  propose a lower salary increase for next year than originally stated i.e. a 6.9 percent hike instead of the 13.7 percent originally announced. Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura has supported the plan saying that he considers the proposed 6.9 % increase reasonable and acceptable since it corresponds to the growth in average wages. The proposal to increase politicians' salaries has drawn strong criticism from the opposition ANO party which has proposed freezing politicians’ for the next five years.