Czech government passes higher budget deficit for this year

The Czech government on Wednesday approved a budget deficit for this year of CZK 330 billion, the Ministry of Finance said. The lower house of Parliament passed a budget deficit of CZK 280 billion in March. MPs are due to vote on the higher deficit following a debate in September, with the motion expected to pass in view of the government’s comfortable majority in the Chamber of Deputies.

Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Wednesday that when his cabinet were initially discussing the budget there is no way they could have known war would have begun 300 kilometres from the country’s borders.