So Close, Yet So Far – Babis’s Cabinet to Present Policy Statement Before Confidence Vote

Prague, Jan 3 (CTK) – The new Czech minority government will release the final version of its policy statement on Tuesday, January 9, one day before it asks the lower house of parliament for its support, Prime Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) told journalists today.

 

It seems unlikely for Babis’s government to win the confidence vote taken in it by the Chamber of Deputies. President Milos Zeman said previously he would entrust Babis with trying to form another government if his first government failed.

 

The new cabinet presented its draft policy statement two weeks ago, shortly after its appointment.

 

Babis said he received several proposals for changes in the policy statement from the trade unions, employees and professional chambers. The cabinet would try to incorporate some of the proposals in the document in the next few days, he added.

 

The cabinet will present its policy statement to the Chamber of Deputies before the confidence vote. Babis does not plan to hold any further meetings with other parties by then.

 

“Given the positions of the individual parties, it is pointless to address them before the first attempt (to win confidence). Their statements were resolute,” Babis said.

 

The leaders of the ANO movement negotiated with all the other parties in parliament except for the small right-wing TOP 09 before Christmas. Most of the seven parties declared that they would not support Babis’s government. The Communists (KSCM) have not made their mind yet, but their support would not suffice to win the confidence vote.