Potential coalition parties agree on introducing tuition fees

Three Czech political parties who are holding talks on forming a centre-right coalition government agreed on Tuesday on introducing tuition fees at Czech public universities. Negotiators for the Civic Democrats, TOP 09 and Public Affairs said the fees should not exceed 10,000 crowns, or 450 US dollars, per semester. Students would be able to pay the fees after graduation to make sure socially challenged students are not excluded from higher education. Social Democrat leader Bohuslav Sobotka reacted by saying his party would do everything in its power to prevent tuition fees from being approved in the lower house. Following the recent general elections, the Civic Democrat leader, Petr Nečas, is holding negotiations on forming the new government with the conservative party TOP 09 and Public Affairs. Analysts believe the new government could be formed within a month’s time.