Emerging coalition released program agreement details

The three parties of the emerging centre-left coalition have released the details of the future government’s policy programme. The Social Democrats, ANO and the Christian Democrats plan no tax hikes next year as they agreed to postpone any changes to the tax system for 2015. The emerging coalition would however like to raise the taxes on betting and lottery, and cut the VAT rates on medicines, books, and other goods. The three parties plan to raise pensions and the minimum wage, and to scrap direct payments for medical care; they want to invest more into transport infrastructure, and pursue self-sufficiency in basic foodstuffs. The policy agreement also suggests the next government will only go ahead with the expansion of the Temelín nuclear plant if it’s economically viable.

Christian Democratic leaders are to discuss the agreement at the weekened while ANO is set to debate it next week. Leadership of the Social Democrat party, meanwhile, approved the deal unanimously on Friday.