Tripartite talks on austerity package

Government officials, unions and employers will meet to discuss further changes to the government’s austerity package aimed at reducing the state budget deficit. Trade unions and entrepreneurs are jointly pushing for nine changes, including, maintaining tax benefits for employees, or exempting energy-intensive production plants from taxes. Prime Minister Petr Fiala has ruled out changes to the basic framework. The package will be debated in the lower house this week. The opposition parties are strongly opposed to it but the ruling coalition has a comfortable majority in both chambers. The package envisages savings of 94 billion crowns this year alone. The measures include the discontinuation of non-investment subsidies, tax changes, lay-offs and other moves.