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Česká vláda řeší zvýšení platů pro politické činitele , což kritizuje opozice ANO. Premiér Petr Fiala říká, že změny vyžaduje Ústavní soud, nikoli vláda. Andrej Babiš volá po zvláštní schůzi k diskusi . Platy politiků by se mohly zvýšit o 13 %. Rozhodnutí se očekává brzy.
Translation
The Czech government is addressing an increase in salaries for political officials, a move criticised by the opposition party ANO. Prime Minister Petr Fiala states that the changes are demanded by the Constitutional Court, not the government. Andrej Babiš is calling for a special session to discuss the matter. The salaries of politicians could increase by 13%. A decision is expected soon.
Exercise: Text comprehension
Question 1: Who is calling for a special meeting to discuss the salary increases?
Andrej Babiš is calling for a special meeting to discuss the salary increases.
Question 2: By how much might politicians' salaries increase?
Politicians' salaries might increase by 13%.
Exercise: Vocabulary
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▌11/10/2024
The Czech government is embroiled in a debate regarding potential salary increases for top political figures, inciting criticism from the opposition party ANO. The government, led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala, insists that the possible salary adjustments are a response to a Constitutional Court ruling, rather than an independent decision by the administration.
The Constitutional Court had previously annulled a coefficient used to calculate salaries based on average wages in the national economy, necessitating a revision by lawmakers. This decision primarily addressed judges' salaries, but the government contends that the salaries of other top officials are indirectly linked to this judgement.
Andrej Babiš, leader of the opposition ANO and former Prime Minister, announced plans to seek a special session of the Chamber of Deputies to address this issue. Babiš criticized the current government leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister Marian Jurečka, for allegedly misrepresenting the previous government's stance on freezing salaries.
Czech Government Debates Salary Increases for Politicians (Illustration)
Minister of Finance Zbyněk Stanjura highlighted that the government is merely adhering to legal obligations imposed by the court's decision. However, Babiš and other ANO members argue that the government has the authority to prevent such dramatic salary increases, pointing out that the Constitutional Court’s decision focused on judges only.
According to the proposal from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, political salaries might rise by over 13% next year if approved. Specifically, a regular deputy's salary could increase by CZK 14,000, and the President's remuneration might increase to CZK 388,000. Such potential hikes have drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures who claim this sends a poor signal to the public.
Prime Minister Fiala has defended the government's actions, reiterating that they aim to ensure political salaries do not outpace average wage growth within the country. He maintained that the government is following legal mandates rather than choosing such paths wilfully.
As the debate continues, it remains uncertain whether the proposed adjustments will move forward, with the government planning to make a definitive decision either in the current week or the next.
Info: "Czech Learner News" is a service from "Let's Learn Czech", a language school dedicated to teaching the Czech language. We offer various types of online Czech course to help students of all levels enhance their proficiency.
