Tax and pension reforms may have to be postponed

Government ministers have conceded the possibility that planned tax and pension reforms may have to be postponed by a year i.e. from the beginning of 2013 to 2014. At a press conference in Prague on Thursday Prime Minister Petr Nečas rejected speculation that a postponement was being considered as a concession to the opposition which had been obstructing a vote on reform bills in the lower house for more than three days. He said the matter was being considered for purely legislative and technical reasons. The opposition, which argues that in view of the current economic situation the government should put some of its planned reforms on hold, has welcomed the news, arguing that the next general elections, scheduled for 2014, could serve as a referendum on the proposed reforms.