Shadow finance minister slams budget proposal

Shadow finance minister Jan Mládek of the Social Democratic Party claims the government and Finance Ministry are in gross violation of the law in accepting a budget proposal based on un-ratified legislation. Mr Mládek told a press conference on Thursday that the proposal was only pulling the wool over the public’s eyes, as the final draft would have to be entirely changed in order to each agreement with the rebel MPs from the Civic Democrats. A rejection of the planned VAT increase by those MPs could force a stopgap budget in 2013, which Mládek says would cost the country some 20 billion crowns and entail more expensive food and medicines for citizens.