ANO, CSSD Reach Agreement On Government Policy Statement

Andrej Babis Jan Hamacek

Prague, May 9 (CTK) – The negotiators of the ANO movement and the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) today agreed on the text of the policy statement of their possible government, ANO spokeswoman Lucie Kubovicova told journalists after a meeting of the negotiators.

 

Neither of the parties would comment on the policy statement at the moment. The ANO and CSSD negotiators first wanted to the present the policy statement to their parties, she said.

 

CSSD leader Jan Hamacek writes on Twitter that the last details were discussed at the meeting today and he asked the media and the public for patience.

 

“You will hear it all on Friday when we will present the final text of the coalition agreement and the policy statement,” Hamacek tweeted.

 

On Monday, ANO leader Andrej Babis and Hamacek arrived at the text on the coalition pact of their parties. Communist (KSCM) chairman Vojtech Filip had talks with Babis afterwards because the KSCM is ready to tolerate the coalition of ANO and the CSSD, which will not have a majority in parliament otherwise.

 

ANO first deputy chairman Jaroslav Faltynek said the CSSD will be in charge of the ministries of interior, foreign affairs, culture, labour and social affairs and agriculture in the coalition cabinet. He said this is in accordance with the original deal between the two parties.

 

The current cabinet has 15 members and it is to rule the country until the appointment of a new one.

 

Babis has been prime minister since last December, but his first minority cabinet failed to win the confidence vote in parliament in January as only ANO lawmakers supported it. President Milos Zeman entrusted Babis with forming a new government.

 

Kubovicova said the ANO national committee and its lower house deputies will meet on Friday morning to discuss the planned deal on a minority cabinet with the CSSD supported by the Communists.

 

On the same day, the CSSD leadership is to declare the party’s referendum on the possible coalition government with ANO.

 

The CSSD election congress held earlier this year decided that the party can enter a government with ANO only if its members approve it in a referendum. The referendum is to last until early June. Some CSSD politicians are against a pact with ANO.