UPDATE - Czech Opposition Party SPD To Spearhead Rally Against Economic Reforms On May 24
Umer Jamshaid Published May 17, 2023 | 12:00 AM
MOSCOW/PRAGUE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th May, 2023) The Czech right-wing populist party Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) plans to bring people out on May 24 to protest against the government's recently announced economic reform package, the party's leader, Tomio Okamura, said on Tuesday.
"We are preparing an anti-government demonstration in the city of Liberec on Wednesday, May 24, and in June we will gather them in other cities of the republic," Tomio told Czech news website Seznam Zpravy.
The SPD chairman has asked trade unions for help in organizing demonstrations, but they were "still hesitant," he said.
Last Thursday, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala presented a package of reforms designed to curb the rising national debt and budget deficit. It includes measures to reduce government subsidies, abolish tax exemptions, and revise the VAT as well as a pension reform. Fiala expects the cut in spending to save the budget 46 billion Czech korunas ($2.1 billion).
On Monday, the leader of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, Josef Stredula, responded to the announcement by threatening to take workers on strike over income cuts planned under Fiala's reform and accusing the prime minister of lying.
The CTK news agency reported on Tuesday that a number of trade unions, including the Association of Independent Unions, the trade union of transport workers DOSIA and the union representing workers of car manufacturer Skoda Auto, expressed their willingness to join the strike.
"We can only thank the government that with its measures it has made us close ranks," Roman Durco, the head of metalworkers federation KOVO, was quoted as saying by the news agency.
More than 70% of Czechs do not believe in the success of the economic reforms proposed by the government, according to the results of a survey conducted by the Median research agency on behalf of Czech Radio. Respondents most often agree that the biggest savings would be on the upkeep of the state apparatus.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
HDA Mehran workers demand salaries
Taxila police nab motorcycle lifter gang
Inter-university weightlifting championship kicks off at SAU
Walk held in a series of enrollment campaigns
Team from Gaza mediator Egypt arrives in Israel for truce talks
Kids murders: IHC orders psychiatric examination of mother
WB director, Planning minister discuss reforms in development projects
Sindh home minister chairs law and order meeting
Bakht Kakar orders to ensure maximum facilities in livestock sector
NEPRA concludes hearing into FCA of DISCOs for March
Junta-led Burkina Faso suspends BBC, Voice of America for two weeks
Chairman COPHC lauds MoMA’s efforts at Gwadar Port, Free Zone
More Stories From World
-
Team from Gaza mediator Egypt arrives in Israel for truce talks
50 seconds ago -
Junta-led Burkina Faso suspends BBC, Voice of America for two weeks
1 hour ago -
Romania court opens way for start of influencer Tate's trial
1 hour ago -
Kenya flood death toll since March climbs to 70
1 hour ago -
At least 10 people killed in Brazil fire: officials
1 hour ago -
Russia targets Ukraine railways as Western aid due to arrive
2 hours ago
-
Miner Anglo American rejects BHP's near $39-billion takeover bid
2 hours ago -
At least 10 people killed in Brazil fire: officials
2 hours ago -
Junta-led Burkina Faso suspends BBC, Voice of America for two weeks
2 hours ago -
Saudi to host top Arab, EU diplomats for Gaza talks: officials
2 hours ago -
Kenya flood death toll since March climbs to 70: govt
2 hours ago -
US Fed's favored inflation measure accelerates in March
3 hours ago