Civic Democrats thrash out their differences on reform

The ruling Civic Democratic Party's deputies met to thrash out their differences on the government proposed reform of public finances on Tuesday. Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, whose cabinet needs the vote of every coalition deputy, said later that some of his party colleagues still had objections to the draft reforms but that progress had been made. Critics from party ranks argue that the Civic Democrats had made too many concessions to their coalition partners and were betraying their own policy programme. The Prime Minister has linked the future of his cabinet to this crucial reform package. Parliament is to vote on it at the beginning of June.