Lower house lifts cut on maternity benefits

The Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament has voted to return maternity benefits to their 2009 levels. The proposal from the Christian Democratic Party was supported by the left, which has opposed the government in seeking to save the system from budget cuts. The bill will now be read in the Senate. Depending on their income level before giving birth, mothers will likely receive up to several thousand crowns per month more at a cost of 1.5 billion to the state. Voting against the proposal were the centre-right Civic Democratic Party and TOP 09, whose vice-chairman, former Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek, said the benefits increase would help mothers by taking the money from their children.