Sobotka aims to persuade ANO ministers to back Paskov mine wind-down plan

Social Democrat Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka says he aims to persuade ministers from coalition partners ANO to back a plan under which the state would help mining firm OKD wind down the Paskov mine in north Moravia. Mr. Sobotka said on Wednesday that the state could not abandon people in the region. Industry Minister Jan Mládek, also of the Social Democrats, has put forward a proposal under which the state would spend CZK 1.1 billion on redundancy payments, re-qualification and site clearance, if OKD delayed closure of Paskov from later this year until the end of 2016. ANO ministers, including party chief and finance minister Andrej Babiš, have rejected the plan.

Author: Ian Willoughby