Coalition negotiations to focus on public finances

Senior members of the three parties in the process of forming a government coalition are met on Thursday to discuss the state budget Prime Minister Petr Nečas announced on Wednesday that the coalition was aiming to operate on a state budget deficit of 135 billion Czech crowns. Public finances are one of three remaining open chapters in the ongoing coalition negotiations, along with education and health. Mr Nečas has said that the new government should be formed by mid-July, once the coalition agreement has been finalized.