The Czech government has allocated an additional 100 million Czech crowns (approximately $4.1 million USD) to its national anti-drug policy program, reversing previous cuts and restoring funding to last year’s levels. The decision, announced by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš following a cabinet meeting on Monday, came as lawmakers prepare to debate the state budget this week.
The funding boost aims to address concerns raised in February regarding potential impacts to addiction services, according to reports. Whereas Babiš confirmed the restoration of funds, he did not specify from which budget areas the money would be reallocated. He likened the process to “sports,” referencing a separate proposal to increase funding for the National Sports Agency by 800 million crowns.
In addition to the anti-drug funding, the government too approved additional allocations for the MEDEVAC program, which provides medical care abroad, increasing its budget by 120 million crowns. Funding for children’s leisure activities, managed through the Ministry of Education, will also be increased by 50 million crowns, bringing it back to the previous year’s level.
The proposed budget adjustments are slated for discussion in the Chamber of Deputies this week. Lawmakers have the authority to shift funds between budget chapters but cannot alter the overall budget parameters, which include projected revenues of 2.118 trillion crowns, expenditures of 2.428 trillion crowns, and a deficit of 310 billion crowns.
The move to bolster anti-drug programs comes as the government seeks a national coordinator for drug policy. According to reports, former Prague mayor Pavel Bém is a leading candidate for the position. The role is seen as crucial by some, with former anti-drug coordinator Jindřich Vobořil suggesting Bém’s experience would be valuable, despite acknowledging the challenges of the position.
Vlastimil Válek, a member of the opposition TOP 09 party, has separately called for hundreds of millions of crowns to be allocated to stabilize the hospital network, a request that remains under consideration as budget negotiations continue.
