Coalition government approves policy agenda

Following five hours of debate on Thursday, the three parties of the Czech coalition government -the Social Democrats, Christian Democrats and Freedom Union - reached agreement on the final version of the government's policy agenda. The document will be presented to Parliament for approval on Tuesday, for a vote of confidence in the new government. Daniela Lazarova has been following the story. So, Daniela, what's on the government's agenda for the next two years?

Coalition government approves policy agenda

Stanislav Gross, photo: CTK

"I think we can say that the policy programme has brought no major surprises, which is partly due to the fact that we have an "old-new" cabinet with the same three parties represented. The main emphasis is on revitalising the economy, there are plans to support young families with children, low interest loans to newly weds, -on the other hand - higher taxes for the rich, and -in the fight against the shadow economy - the government wants to introduce cash registers with an electronic memory, compulsory property declarations and mandatory stamping of alcohol. In general, the final policy statement calls for more fiscal restraint than earlier drafts, thanks largely to the efforts of the two smaller right-wing parties in the government. Of course, there were conflicting interests and compromise solutions -which ended in vague statements - such as the Czech government saying it was aware of the importance of signing a state treaty with the Vatican - but all three party leaders came out of the talks smiling and the Prime Minister was in an upbeat mood when he faced the press."

PM Gross: "I am highly satisfied with the policy programme and I believe it gives this government scope to be more than a caretaker administration in the course of the next two years, that it will enable us to implement a series of complex reforms which we consider to be of vital importance for our country."

The government is due to ask Parliament for a vote of confidence on the basis of this policy programme next Tuesday - how has it been received by the opposition?

"It has been severely criticized by both opposition parties for different reasons. Here's what the head of the strongest opposition party - the right wing Civic Democrats -Mirek Topolanek had to say about it:

"I think that the Gross government has the same coalition structure, the same personnel structure as the old government of Vladimir Spidla. The programme declaration is the same as that of the old government. We have to win the 2006 elections and present a new approach to resolving the country's problems."

Stanislav Gross and Mirek Topolanek, photo: CTK

"Nothing surprising about that statement, but it is interesting to note that Mr. Topolanek said "we will have to win the elections in 2006" - he made no mention of pushing for early elections. The second opposition party - the largely unreformed communists- are not going to support the government either. They claim that it has betrayed its policy programme and they would of course have preferred a minority Social Democrat government dependent on themselves."

Under normal circumstances, the coalition government would not need support from the opposition since it has a slim majority in Parliament, but there's now a slight hitch isn't there?

"That's right. The governing coalition has 101 deputies in the 200 seat Lower House -however two of them are now in hospital. This will either have to be resolved by a "courtesy" agreement which means one member of the opposition abstaining from the vote - or one of the ailing MPs - will have to be brought to Parliament for the vote. It is still not clear which it is going to be, but the Prime Minister, Mr. Gross, appears confident that his government will win the confidence vote next Tuesday.