President meets with PM and finance minister to debate state budget for 2025

President Petr Pavel on Monday met with Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura for talks on the state budget for 2025, which has come under fire from both the opposition parties and economists. The president’s own economic adviser David Marek has advised the head of state against signing the budget, on the grounds that it contains many unclear items, some of which have been calculated on laws that have yet to be passed. Prime Minister Fiala said after the talks that the budget had been responsibly drawn up and was pro-growth. He said he was confident that the finance minister had adequately explained any reservations regarding the draft. President Pavel has 15 days in which to decide whether he will support the budget proposal or veto it.