Next Wednesday target date for draft government programme

The right-of-centre Civic Democratic Party, leading negotiations in the second attempt to form a government since inconclusive elections in June, has said it hopes to complete a draft policy programme by Wednesday next week. The announcement was made on Friday by deputy party chairman Petr Necas, who said that the programme would then be assessed by representatives from the four parties in negotiations.

It has not been decided whether all of the parties, the Civic, Social and Christian Democrats, as well as the Greens, will be represented in the future government.

So far, representatives though have agreed on the programme being divided in the following areas for discussion: public finances and taxes; social policy and pension reform; health care; entrepreneurship; security and anti-corruption measures; and the EU presidency and EU funds.