PM Babiš to miss budget debate due to Japan visit

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is set to miss a lower house session on Wednesday in which the 2020 state budget will get its first reading. The ANO party leader is on a visit to Japan for the enthronement of the country’s new emperor, at which he is deputising for President Miloš Zeman, Novinky.cz reported.

Opposition MPs have slammed Mr. Babiš’s absence from such an important debate, the news site said.

While the PM will be absent, the president is set to attend Wednesday’s session of the Chamber of Deputies. Mr. Zeman was in hospital at the end of last week but was released on Sunday.