The three coalition parties have failed to reach agreement on exemptions
to this year’s planned budget cuts. At a meeting of coalition leaders,
Education Minister Josef Dobeš, from the Public Affairs party, refused to
slash another 4.5 billion crowns from his ministry’s budget, part of the
government’s austerity measures that should save up to 23.6 billion
crowns. Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek, of the TOP 09 party, said talks
in the coalition would continue, and that the government would discuss the
plan at its session on Wednesday.