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President Klaus has signed into law an amendment modifying the controversial health legislation that introduced blanket health fees for all Czech citizens at the beginning of 2008. In line with the amendment health fees will no longer be mandatory for those under the age of 18. The approval of the bill was preceded by heated debate in both houses of Parliament after members of the two smaller parties in government – the Greens and the Christian Democrats – joined the opposition in calling for minors to be exempted from the payments. The burden of health fees has also been lowered for pensioners and socially weaker groups of the population. The Social Democrats remain strongly opposed to the idea of health fees as such and have pledged to strike them down altogether when they return to power.

Czech deputy premier Alexandr Vondra said in Brussels on Wednesday that his government saw no immediate need to intervene on the forex markets to support the crown which has fallen to its lowest levels against the euro since 2005. The statement came in response to a warning by the European Commission which said it was concerned by the volatility of the currencies of some EU nations, several of which have fallen sharply in recent days amid fears of capital flight. The euro common currency, used in 16 of the 27 EU nations, tumbled against the dollar on Tuesday over doubts about the eurozone economy and fears of the exposure of western European banks to huge debts in crisis-hit central and Eastern Europe.

The Chamber of Deputies is expected to vote on ratifying the European Union’s Lisbon treaty on Tuesday evening. The Czech News Agency reported that most of the parties in the lower house were in favour of holding a vote, after a debate on the matter was postponed twice, once in December and once two weeks ago. It is expected some euro-sceptic MPs from the ruling Civic Democrats will not vote in favour, along with the Communists, who are pushing for a referendum. The Senate is due to vote on Lisbon ratification in April.

Even if both houses of Parliament back the ratification of the Lisbon treaty, the Czech president, Václav Klaus, has indicated he will not sign the document unless it is approved by Ireland; Irish voters rejected Lisbon in a referendum last June and are due to vote on it again this year.

The Czech president, Václav Klaus, has described the government’s new fiscal stimulus package as rational and adequate. However, in a statement conveyed by a spokesperson, the president said no rescue package could protect the Czech Republic from the impacts of a global recession. Mr Klaus, an economist by profession, said the plan was strong on the supply side of the economy and did not threaten the stability of the public finances. He said it would be good if further measures were added, including de-regulation in the business sector.

The government approved the stimulus package on Monday. It must now go before the Chamber of Deputies, where the coalition does not enjoy a secure majority.