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Prezident Petr Pavel podepsal rozpočet České republiky s deficitem 241 miliard korun na příští rok. Rozhodnutí podpořil premiér Petr Fiala. Rozpočet zahrnuje investice do infrastruktury , školství a výzkumu. Oppozice kritizovala prezidenta za podporu vlády. Rozpočet má podpořit růst ekonomiky, ale někteří odborníci jsou skeptičtí .
Translation
President Petr Pavel has signed the Czech Republic's budget with a deficit of 241 billion crowns for the coming year. The decision was supported by Prime Minister Petr Fiala. The budget includes investments in infrastructure, education, and research. The opposition criticised the president for supporting the government. The budget aims to boost economic growth, though some experts remain sceptical.
Exercise: Text comprehension
Question 1: What is the amount of the budget deficit signed by the Czech President?
The budget deficit is 241 billion korunas.
Question 2: Who supported the President's decision to sign the budget?
The Prime Minister, Petr Fiala, supported the decision.
Exercise: Vocabulary
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▌18/12/2024
President Petr Pavel of the Czech Republic has signed the national budget for the coming year, adopting measures that project a deficit of 241 billion Czech koruna. This decision, announced through a video on social media, came after receiving personal assurances from Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura that the deficit will not exceed the planned figures.
President Pavel elaborated that his decision was grounded in a strategic assessment of the current economic situation. He expressed concerns about the potential inaccuracies in projected revenues and expenditures but highlighted that significant public investment plans could boost economic growth. "It would be easy to grandstand knowing my veto could be overridden, but correcting the shortcomings I've highlighted to the government was more beneficial," Pavel stated. He acknowledged the government for initiating fiscal consolidation but stressed the need for continued reform.
The budget, despite falling short by an estimated 41 billion koruna against an adjusted previous budget, promises large investments in infrastructure, education, and research. Prime Minister Fiala endorsed the president's decision as "responsible and correct," emphasizing the focus on economic growth and wage increases.
Czech President Signs Controversial Budget Amid Political Debate (Illustration)
Reactions from the opposition were less favourable, with accusations of presidential complicity. Andrej Babiš, leader of the political movement ANO, along with Tomio Okamura of the SPD, claimed that President Pavel consistently supports the current government. Opposition figures criticized what they termed the president's predictability, echoing past warnings from the National Budget Council regarding inflated income expectations, particularly from emissions trading.
Voices from within Pavel's advisory circle, such as economist David Marek, were sceptical about the budget's robustness. Concerns were also raised about the implications this budgeting approach may have for future policies. Some advisers, aligning with the National Budget Council's analysis, feared that the budget might not suffice to meet long-term fiscal responsibility laws without further reforms.
In light of potential budgetary provizori, leaders from the ruling coalition, including the Christian Democrat party's chairman, praised the decision as necessary to avoid economic instability. Finance Minister Stanjura affirmed his commitment to maintain the fiscal deficit within the stipulated threshold.
As the political debate over fiscal policy continues, the coming months will test the resilience of the Czech economy and the efficacy of the planned investments to deliver the forecasted prosperity.
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