The Assembly of the Confederation of Industry gave tasks to the government for the second half of its term

In the middle of its legislature, the government of Prime Minister Petr Fiala listened to the evaluation of entrepreneurs in the industry and received a list of urgent tasks, for the fulfilment of which only 727 days remain until the end of this government’s term. Companies lack employees and infrastructure the most, but they also need to ensure long-term competitive energy prices or support tax deductions for research and development. They also expect active help from the government with the involvement of companies in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, for example in the form of an increase in funds for insurance.

The Assembly of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic had a traditional course. In the beginning, its new president, Jan Rafaj, evaluated the situation of entrepreneurs and the government's activities to date and formulated the main criticisms and challenges for the future. Entrepreneurs have had four years of unprecedented fluctuations, but according to the president of the Confederation, most of them managed it, even if at the cost of significant losses. He praised the current government for several things, for example, for its unanimous stance on aggression in Ukraine and its approach to Ukrainian refugees, who are significantly improving the situation on our labour market today. The biggest criticism of Jan Rafaj was aimed at the long-term absence of measures that would help solve fundamental obstacles in business.

In response, Prime Minister Petr Fiala emphasized the need to fulfil the long-term vision of a competitive country, which the government and the Confederation have in common. Therefore, according to him, it is necessary to find a balance between current comfort and long-term results towards which current investments are aimed. According to Petr Fiala, the government's position is made more difficult by the need to repair significant internal debts, for example in the transport infrastructure, as well as the state of public finances and, of course, the effects of the deteriorating international situation. According to Petr Fiala, we have also made noteworthy progress in ensuring energy security, he specifically mentioned the progress in the tendering procedure for the completion of the Dukovany NPP and the fact that the gas infrastructure is once again back in the hands of the state. The opening of the labour market continues, and not only for refugees from Ukraine. The market is currently being opened to another 20,000 qualified workers from selected safe countries.

In addition to the prime minister, six other ministers also participated in the debate with SP representatives and other businessmen. In the Rotunda, which was filled almost to the last seat, the discussion was also watched by the Chairman of the Senate of the Czech Republic Miloš Vystrčil, the President of the Confederation of Employers' and Business Unions of the Czech Republic Jan Wiesner, the President of the Chamber of Commerce of the Czech Republic Zdeněk Zajíček, the Chairman of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions Josef Středula and other prominent guests.