Chamber of Deputies debates state budget draft for 2008

The Chamber of Deputies began on Wednesday debating the state budget draft for 2008, the first state budget after the adoption of the fiscal reform package by the Parliament. The deficit for 2008 is expected to reach some 71 billion crowns, or 3.6 billion US dollars. The government expects that the Czech Republic will be more successful in drawing money from EU funds; in 2008, the country should receive some 76 billion crowns from the European Union.