Social Democrats say Budvar should remain in state ownership

The opposition Social Democrats have criticized the fact that the government has said it is willing to consider privatising the state owned beer brewery Budejovicky Budvar. Shadow agriculture minister Michal Hasek said that he was concerned about Budvar's future should it fall into the hands of the rival US company Anhauser-Busch which has ongoing trademark disputes with Budvar in several countries. Hasek said the government should seek other sources of income for the state budget than from the sale of successful companies such as Budvar or the power giant CEZ.