Vyšehrad Proclamation

The Vyšehrad Proclamation was introduced by the Czech Civic Democratic Party (ODS) on 17 August 2017. It consisted of 12 conditions for the party to be part of a government coalition after the 2017 legislative election.[1]

ODS leader Petr Fiala stated that the declaration didn't mean the party would be in opposition after the election, but that it was a condition for being part of the government.[2] He also stated that the proclamation provided space for negotiation.[3]

Conditions

The following are the 12 conditions of the proclamation:[4]

  • 1) Increasing wages and lowering taxes
  • 2) Significant reduction of social security contributions by employers
  • 3) Raising the limit of flat-rate payments for traders at least twice
  • 4) Commitment not to raise taxes for businesses throughout the election period
  • 5) Introduction of a simple and uniform tax return as well as social and health insurance
  • 6) Cancellation of electronic revenue records and introduction of a flat-rate tax for non-payers of VAT—the principle of "pay and start without further checks" for the smallest entrepreneurs.
  • 7) Audit of bureaucratic burdens and the legal system in key areas within six months of the government's inception, and a radical reduction in the number of regulations, laws, and decrees in the first and second year of government.
  • 8) Implementation of the "Everything in One Door" system to handle all common issues for citizens from 1 January 2019
  • 9) Significant cuts in national subsidies to private firms and significant cuts in investment incentives
  • 10) Education becomes the financial and political priority of the government
  • 11) The government prepares a confident position in the EU and a strategy to promote EU reforms based on national interests and national consensus. The government's program will include the refusal of mandatory refugee quotas and the mandatory adoption of the euro.
  • 12) No questioning of the Euro–Atlantic orientation of Czechia; increase its spending on security; gradual increase in defense spending to two percent of GDP over six years.

Post-election

The ODS received 11% of votes and became the second strongest party in Czechia. Then-deputy party leader Alexandra Udženija promised that the ODS would not abandon the Vyšehrad Proclamation.[5] Fiala stated that the ODS would not participate in the government led by ANO 2011. He also began negotiations with other opposition parties about possible cooperation.[6]

References

  1. ^ "ODS představila Vyšehradskou deklaraci, 12 podmínek pro vstup do vlády". EuroZprávy.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  2. ^ "Do vlády jen s tím, kdo odmítne povinné přijetí eura a EET, řekl Fiala". iDNES.cz. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  3. ^ "ODS v příští vládě? Vyšehradská deklarace dává prostor pro jednání, říká Fiala". EuroZprávy.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  4. ^ "ODS si stanovila 12 nepřekročitelných podmínek pro vstup do vlády". Aktuálně.cz (in Czech). 23 August 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  5. ^ "Volby živě: ANO zvítězilo, uspěli Piráti a ODS, ve Sněmovně devět stran". denikreferendum.cz (in Czech). 21 October 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  6. ^ "Fiala chce sjednotit opozici, pozval si už Farského i Kalouska". Echo24.cz (in Czech). 23 October 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.