Tripartite meeting over 2016 draft budget

Representatives of the government, trade unions and employers met on Monday over the government proposed draft budget for 2016. Trade union representatives spoke out in favour of higher investments which would stimulate economic growth arguing that the proposed 70 billion crown deficit could have been higher, but employers expressed approval of the proposed deficit saying that at a time of economic growth there was no reason to increase the gap in spending further. Finance Minister Andrej Babis argues that the proposed 2016 budget is not restrictive and will stimulate the economy while helping to bring the deficit under control. The minister would like to achieve a 60 billion crown deficit in 2017 and a 50 billion crown deficit in 2018.