Lower house approves 2021 budget

The ruling parties ANO and the Social Democrats bowed to a Communist Party demand for a 10 billion crown cut in defence expenditures in order to secure support for the 2021 budget on Friday.

The decision followed days of wrangling over the conditions under which the Communist Party would support the draft budget.

The prime minister has said he will find a way to return the funds to the Ministry of Defence through the country’s reserves.

The opposition parties rejected the budget proposal outright and have fiercely criticized the compromise agreement.

The approved bill envisages a 320 billion crown deficit.