Transport strike averted, says minister, though disagreements remain

The minister of finance, Miroslav Kalousek, says a threatened transport strike has been averted. It would have affected all train and intercity bus services. At a meeting with trade union leaders on Wednesday, Mr Kalousek temporarily withdrew a government decision to tax certain benefits received by transport workers. However, he said he had not given up on a plan to do away with a number of tax exemptions in a new legal code, a proposal strongly opposed by the unions.

Author: Ian Willoughby