Czech Deputy PM welcomes decision on EU 2007-13 budget

The Czech Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy, Jiri Havel, has welcomed the European Parliament's passing the EU budget for 2007 - 2013 on Wednesday, allowing new EU member states, including the Czech Republic, to draw more money from the EU coffers. He said it was a "significant impulse" for the Czech economy. Most Czech Euro MPs supported the budget in the vote, which passed with overall support of 440 to 190, with 14 abstaining. The seven-year budget amounts to 864.3 billion euros, plus an additional 2 billion euros, 1.05 percent of the union's GDP.