State budget for 2009 passed by lower house

The lower house of Parliament on Wednesday approved the state budget for 2009, with a deficit of 38.1 billion crowns. The budget was passed by 101 votes in the 200 member lower house. Despite its weakened position, the coalition government managed to secure the votes of all five rebel deputies, overriding protests from the opposition Social Democrats and the Communists. Opposition leader Jiří Paroubek accused the finance minister of having pushed through a misleading budget proposal based on unrealistic expectations. The budget operates on a 4,8 growth figure for 2009. Finance Minister Kalousek said he was prepared for a variety of economic scenarios, including drastic ones which he hoped would not materialize.