Prime Minister to defend hospital fees in court

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek is set to become the first ever Czech Prime Minister to defend legislation in front of the country’s Constitutional Court. In question will be the law that facilitated doctors to charge patients fifty crowns per visit. Legal action against the fees has been brought by both the opposition Social Democrats and communists, who along with other advocacy groups argue that the fees are unconstitutional because the Czech constitution guarantees free-at-point-of-use healthcare to all Czechs. Prime Minister Topolánek has strongly argued for the fees even going so far as to state that his coalition government could fall if this legislation were overturned. The court was prepared to rule on the case on Tuesday, but agreed to hear testimony from the Prime Minister.