Czech MPs back emergency extension until May 17 as lockdown could be ended early

The lower house of the Czech parliament has voted to extend a state of emergency until May 17 – a week less than the government had sought. The development comes as the country charts a course to emerge from a coronavirus lockdown earlier than forecast. PM Andrej Babis had asked for an extension until May 25 to be able to keep restrictions on business in place. The state of emergency was due to expire on April 30.

The government is reluctant to end the emergency early, even though it has already reopened some shops and services over the past week as the pace of new infections has declined. It now expects to restart the economy faster than previously forecast, although not in time for the deadline now set by parliament.

Babis said after the vote on Tuesday that the government would seek legal amendments to keep some restrictions in place after the state of emergency ends.

The Czech Republic has seen a drop in new cases to the lowest level in six weeks, with 41 new infections on Monday and a total of 7,486 on Tuesday afternoon, Reuters reports. The number of active cases declined from its peak to 4,319 on Tuesday.