PRAGUE - The government of Petro Fiala has long since lost the trust of the citizens through its repeated links to corruption and organized crime. The SPD believes that Zbyněk Stanjura should immediately leave his post as finance minister because of his role in the bitcoin scandal and his efforts to exempt billions of dollars in cryptocurrency transactions from tax. The government's advocacy of increasing defence spending to 5 % of GDP is unrealistic, financially unsustainable and could threaten social peace and the basic functions of the state. Despite the opposition of the Fial government, the SPD will again try to push for an increase in the care allowance for severely disabled citizens in the first and second degree of dependency. We do not agree that temporary workers such as students, pensioners or parents should have to file tax returns.
1. The government of Petro Fiala has long since lost the trust of the citizens through its repeated links to corruption and organized crime.
Last week, the opposition convened a meeting of the Chamber of Deputies on the motion of no confidence in the government of Petro Fiala. 94 MPs (including all SPD MPs) voted in favour of the no-confidence motion and 98 MPs voted against it. The government of Petro Fiala has long since lost the trust of the citizens of the Czech Republic, not least because of the latest scandalous affair, when members of the ODS government, by accepting a gift of cryptocurrencies from a man who had been convicted, deliberately helped to launder billions of euros in criminal proceeds by selling them. Every day, new information appears on this matter, which confirms the absolute failure of the Ministers of Justice and the Interior, as well as Prime Minister Fiala, who have known about this case for a long time and, moreover, have repeatedly lied and deceived the public on this matter. The fact that the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the suspicious receipt and sale of cryptocurrencies linked to criminal activity is being carried out by the Minister for Justice, Eva Decroix, who is also the Deputy President of the ODS, raises serious doubts about its independence and impartiality. The government of Petro Fiala is damaging the reputation of the Czech Republic abroad and citizens' trust in the state through its repeated links to corruption and organised crime (recall, for example, the cases of the Prime Minister's Kampelicka and Dozimetr). Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura and Prime Minister Petr Fiala (both ODS) should resign immediately. Responsibility for this governmental and societal crisis of extraordinary proportions lies with all governmental parties, including TOP 09, KDU-ČSL and STAN.
2. According to the SPD, Zbyněk Stanjura should immediately leave his post as Finance Minister because of his role in the bitcoin scandal and his efforts to exempt billions of dollars in cryptocurrency transactions from tax.
Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura (ODS) has submitted a proposal to the Chamber of Deputies for tax exemption of income from the sale of cryptocurrencies if it exceeds CZK 40 million. What is particularly striking is the fact that Minister Stanjura submitted this proposal by way of a parliamentary initiative after the Ministry of Justice concluded an agreement on the transfer of bitcoins worth billions of dollars with the finally convicted criminal Tomáš Jiřikovský, a key person in the "government bitcoin case". SPD MEPs will of course vote against this proposal. It is not just a question of depriving the state of much-needed tax revenue and favouring one type of high earner for no good reason. It is, in fact, a proposal to set a zero income tax for bitcoin billionaires and an expression of the government's contempt for the millions of honest Czech employees and tradesmen who have to pay high taxes and insurance contributions on their income without any concessions. The SPD believes that Minister Stanjura must leave his position as Finance Minister of the Czech Government immediately because of his role in the bitcoin scandal and his efforts to exempt billions of dollars of cryptocurrency transactions from tax.
3. The government's advocacy of increasing defence spending to 5 % of GDP is unrealistic, financially unsustainable and could threaten social peace and the basic functions of the state.
This week, the NATO summit is taking place in The Hague, with the aim of discussing, among other things, an increase in the defence spending of member states up to 5 % of their gross domestic product (GDP) per year. The SPD does not support the proposal to increase defence spending to up to 5 % of GDP. This is unrealistic for the Czech Republic, financially unsustainable and could jeopardise social peace and the basic functions of the state. The Ministry of Defence is not even able to use the current budget effectively, there is a lack of soldiers, a lack of strategy and a lack of results. Billions more without control and efficiency will only deepen our indebtedness. The defence of the country is important, but it must be based on real needs and on Czech national interests, not on dictates from abroad. The SPD defends the security of citizens, but with reason and responsibility to the taxpayer.
4. The SPD will again try to push for an increase in care allowances for severely disabled citizens in the first and second degree of dependency, despite the opposition of the Fial government.
The Chamber of Deputies will also vote on proposals by the SPD movement and MP Lucie Šafránková to increase care allowances for severely disabled citizens in the 1st and 2nd degree of dependency. The Fial government and its MPs rejected and voted against these SPD proposals throughout the parliamentary term. In doing so, they have grossly damaged and betrayed our seriously disabled fellow citizens. The care allowance for adults in the first stage of dependency has not been increased for 10 years and amounts to only CZK 880 per month, which is far from sufficient to pay for the necessary support services for its recipients, who cannot manage the four basic needs of life. This may lead to further damage to their health, which is unacceptable. The Fial's anti-social government systematically ignores disabled citizens and their families, even though, due to the rising cost of outreach social services, the care they need is already virtually unaffordable. We in the SPD, on the other hand, have long defended the right of our disabled citizens and their families to sufficient assistance from the state and to live in dignity.
5. We do not agree that temporary workers such as students, pensioners or parents should have to file tax returns.
The Chamber of Deputies is scheduled to vote this week in the final third reading on the proposal by the government of Petr Fiala to abolish the withholding tax on small and casual labour income. The SPD is opposed to this proposal because the measure would negatively affect tens of thousands of students, pensioners and parents of young children who will have to file new tax returns and make their lives more difficult. This change would also place a significant burden on the state budget in the form of increased costs for the tax and fiscal administration. The SPD is therefore tabling an amendment that maintains the option of continuing to tax small-scale employment income through withholding tax. The SPD always stands on the side of honest working citizens.
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