Chamber of Deputies to meet for special session

The chairman of the lower house, Miloslav Vlček, has called a special session of Parliament for next week in an effort to get controversial social spending issues back on its agenda. The move comes after the lower house was deadlocked by hours of filibustering and right-wing politicians refused to vote on bills which would increase the precariously high state deficit. The centre-right Civic Democrats even proposed that the Chamber of Deputies should avoid any controversial issues and not make any crucial decisions until May’s general elections. However the party recently softened its stand on maternity benefits, saying that if there was overwhelming support for the proposal to maintain maternity benefits at last year’s level it would not block the bill. The level of maternity benefits became an issue of contention after caretaker finance minister Eduard Janota proposed their reduction within widespread cost-cutting measures.