Czech opposition parties plan lower 2022 budget deficit after election win

FILE PHOTO: Leader of Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and Together (SPOLU) coalition candidate for prime minister Petr Fiala attends the last radio debate before the country's parliamentary election in Prague, Czech Republic, October 8, 2021. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo/File Photo

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech opposition parties seeking to form a new government will aim to rework the 2022 budget to cut the planned deficit to below 300 billion crowns ($13.72 billion), a top party leader said on Sunday.

Petr Fiala, leader of the centre-right coalition Together which defeated Prime Minister Andrej Babis's ruling ANO party in an Oct. 8-9 election and plans to form a new government with the Pirate/Mayors group, told a Czech Television debate show that they would reject the current administration's budget plans.