Parliamentary Budget Committee recommends that lower house does not accept government reform package

The Parliamentary Budget Committee recommended on Wednesday that mps should not approve the government's package of tax reforms, when it comes up for discussion on August the 14th. Finance Minister, Miroslav Kalousek has said that the committee's verdict 'was to be expected', as members of the governing coalition were outnumbered by opposition Social Democrats and Communists, who are against the reforms. Radim Fiala of the ruling Civic Democrats was missing from the meeting, and the reforms were vetoed by 11 votes to 10.

The reforms have already passed through a first reading in the lower house of Parliament. But with the smallest of majorities, the centre-right coalition needs the support of every single one of its deputies to get the reforms approved.