Govt. want to debate salary freeze for legislators just before elections

The Czech government want to debate a freeze on legislators’ salaries just before elections in early October. The ANO deputy prime minister, Karel Havlíček, said the cabinet had rubberstamped a proposal to cap elected politicians’ pay for a period of five years.

Mr. Havlíček said the matter could be discussed on October 5, though the lower house held its final regular session on Friday.

If the change is not introduced legislators’ salaries are due to rise by 6 percent in January. Union leaders say this is unfair in the context of current talks on public sector salary increases, in which ANO are backing a 3.5 percent rise.