Coalition policy programme talks to continue next week

Talks between the parties in the new government on a joint policy programme will probably continue at the beginning of next week, Prime Minister Stanislav Gross told reporters on Friday. Though a draft policy agenda was revealed earlier this week, the Social Democrats, the Christian Democrats and the Freedom Union have yet to reach a final coalition agreement.

Christian Democrat leader Miroslav Kalousek said the government had to be sure it had the money to meet all the priorities outlined in its policy programme, and said a break of a few days could help the parties reach agreement.

However, Social Democrat Labour Minister Zdenek Skromach said his party would not agree to any significant changes to the outline policy programme. Mr Skromach was speaking after talks with senior Social Democrat officials in Prague on Friday.