MPs to vote next week on controversial fee hikes for Czech Television and Czech Radio

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PRAGUE - MPs will vote next week on a controversial increase in fees for Czech Television and Czech Radio, with an expanded range of taxpayers. They will again decide on the salary amendment, which was vetoed by President Petr Pavel, mainly because of the setting of judges' salaries. The chamber is also due to re-approve an amendment to the energy law, in which the Senate opposed new conditions for individual checks on the profitability of some solar power plants.

The regular session of the House will begin on Tuesday afternoon. MPs will conclude the approval of the TV and radio fee increase at an extraordinary session on Wednesday after noon. The coalition has scheduled a vote on the form of a controversial government draft, which also changes the payment of CT and CRo fees for entrepreneurs and legal entities. The opposition ANO and SPD movements have so far blocked the final discussion of the fee hike for five days.

On Tuesday, representatives of the government camp would like to re-approve the bill on increasing the salaries of top politicians, other state officials, judges and prosecutors despite the president's veto. They also aim to push through the original parliamentary version of the energy law with individual controls on photovoltaic plants. However, coalition representatives say it will not be clear until the last minute whether the necessary 101 votes will be found in both cases.

On Friday, the Chamber of Deputies is expected to approve the final reading of the so-called flexible amendment to the Labour Code, in which the ODS and TOP 09 MPs are unlikely to propose the option of termination without cause with higher severance pay. MPs are also likely to vote on the education amendment, with the controversial transfer of payment for janitors, cooks and cleaners and part of other non-investment expenditures from the state to regions and municipalities starting this September. Representatives of local governments and school unions and organizations opposed the plan.

CTK / photo: euroaktiv.cz / gnews.cz-jav