Civic Democrats highlight state debt in May election manifesto

Leading right-wing party, the Civic Democrats, presented its manifesto for elections to the lower house on Thursday. The party singled out cutting the state debt as the biggest priority for it. The manifesto contains the commitment by 2017 to balance the books as regards the state budget. To do that the party proposes across the board cuts in spending of 5.0 percent for all ministries and legislative barriers to increased spending. Taxes would be maintained at current levels. Party and election leader, Petr Nečas, said the manifesto amounted to a collection of realistic promises about what the party could deliver. He contrasted it with the promises of the main left-wing rivals, the Social Democrats, which he labelled as populist. The Civic Democrats have been trailing the Social Democrats in recent polls ahead of the elections that will take place at the end of May.