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Viewing cable 08PRAGUE44, CZECH REPUBLIC'S AMBITIOUS STRUCTURAL REFORM AGENDA

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08PRAGUE44 2008-01-25 15:13 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Prague
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPG #0044 0251513
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251513Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9986
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
UNCLAS PRAGUE 000044 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EFIN EINV PGOV EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC'S AMBITIOUS STRUCTURAL REFORM AGENDA 
 
REF: A. 07 PRAGUE 973 
     B. 07 PRAGUE 1222 
 
 1. (SBU) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: Czech Finance Minister 
Miroslav Kalousek, during a January 24 meeting with the 
Ambassador, previewed the next set of planned economic 
reforms.  Following the 2007 passage of the public finance 
reform bill, the government announced its intention to submit 
a pension reform plan by the end of last year and a 
healthcare reform plan in 2008.  The former has been delayed 
and Kalousek now hopes both bills will be presented in 2008, 
in addition to a package of reform legislation aimed at 
"rationalizing and simplifying" the tax system.  Given the 
evenly-split Czech Parliament, any controversial bill -- 
economic or otherwise -- is an uphill battle.  Despite this 
challenging and short-sighted political environment, the fact 
that Kalousek is determined to pursue these difficult reforms 
is good news for the economy.  Reform opponents may not 
change their minds, but if the current global financial 
turmoil and the talk of economic slowdown becomes reality, 
Kalousek may have more cover to pursue these tough reform 
goals.  END SUMMARY AND COMMENT. 
 
BUDGET NOT SUSTAINABLE WITHOUT PENSION AND HEALTHCARE FIX 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
2. (SBU) More individual participation and contribution is 
the key underlying principle behind both pension and 
healthcare reform initiatives.  However, this is highly 
unpopular and politicians are loathe to even utter these 
words.  As Kalousek points out, however, without these 
reforms, the Czech Republic cannot even contemplate the 
long-term sustainability of the state budget.  The planned 
pension reform would gradually convert the current 
pay-as-you-go system to a fully-funded system, raise the 
mandatory retirement age, and offer both opt-out and 
supplemental plans for individuals.  The proposed healthcare 
reforms include offering different types of insurance 
coverage for individuals and building on the controversial 
fee-for-service concept introduced by the 2007 public finance 
reform bill (as of January 1, Czechs pay CZK 30 - or less 
than $2 - per doctor visit). 
 
3. (SBU) In fall 2007, Parliament passed the public finance 
reform bill, which some believe is as much a political as an 
economic achievement, given that its main element, a flat 
tax, was one of the Civic Democratic Party's leading campaign 
promises.  As reported in ref A, the bill mostly addressed 
the revenue side of the budget equation with both corporate 
and income tax cuts.  However, excessive social expenditures 
are the primary reason for the persistent fiscal deficit that 
is preventing the Czech Republic from adopting the Euro. 
Kalousek attributed the better-than-expected 2007 budget 
deficit results (1.9%/GDP) solely to better-than-projected 
GDP growth, saying "this had nothing to do with the 
government reforms." 
 
RATIONALIZING AND SIMPLIFYING THE TAX SYSTEM 
-------------------------------------------- 
4. (SBU) In addition to the much anticipated pension and 
healthcare reforms, Kalousek told the Ambassador about 
another planned reform package that has not yet been made 
public.  By mid- to late-February, Kalousek intends to unveil 
three bills aimed at the personal income tax system, the tax 
process, and financial and customs institutions.  Kalousek is 
in consultation with the Prime Minister and other economic 
Ministers on this "legislative, administrative, and 
institutional" tax reform initiative that is intended to 
"rationalize and stabilize" the tax system.  The underlying 
principle of the bill is to change the point at which income 
is taxed such that money that is adding value to the economic 
system (e.g. in holding companies) would not be taxed whereas 
money changing hands (e.g. into consumer's hands) would be 
taxed.  Kalousek is not in a rush to push this package 
through but believes it is important to the transparency and 
stability of the tax system.  He said that he would welcome 
views of American investors and companies once the reform 
package is made public. 
 
EURO ADOPTION DATE REMAINS ELUSIVE 
---------------------------------- 
5. (SBU) Kalousek admitted that it was a "mistake" that the 
Czech Republic does not have a specific date for Euro 
adoption. However, he believes it would be worse to set a 
date and then slip on the timeline due to missed fiscal 
targets.  Therefore, he informed the Ambassador that he would 
not/not announce a date for Euro adoption until structural 
reforms are approved by Parliament.  Currently, the Czech 
Republic has identified the 2012-2013 timeframe as the 
earliest possible date for Euro adoption (ref B). 
Graber