In the Czech Republic, the government is facing disagreement over the country’s entry into the eurozone. A mandatory coalition involving five parliamentary parties has revealed a split between the ruling ODS coalition, which opposes entry, and the other four parties that support it. The Finance Minister, who is the second person in the ODS, is determined to take concrete steps towards entering the eurozone by 2024. However, leaders from the second largest party in the government, representing STAN, KDU-ČSL, Pirates, and TOP 09, are against it and are pressuring their coalition partners for clarity on their intentions.

Concerns about the negative impact on the country’s competitiveness and national preparedness to join the eurozone have been highlighted in a report by the Finance Minister of the National Bank. However, experts question the objectivity of the report, suggesting that some ministers in the coalition government have already made biased payments under certain programs. This leads to a lack of trust, as the Finance Minister’s words may not align with their underlying advice.

On the other hand, the Chairman of the NCBN, Vita Rakušan, representing the STAN coalition, presents a report indicating that the Czech Republic is ready to join the eurozone, with lower risks than expected. However, the Finance Minister has reportedly rejected many of the report’s conclusions.

The report will need to be approved and is most likely to be discussed in December, according to Hospodářské noviny.