OREANDA-NEWS   Elections to the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament will be held on Friday and Saturday in the Czech Republic.

Polling stations will be open on Friday from 14:00 to 22:00 (from 15:00 to 23:00 Moscow time) and on Saturday from 08:00 to 15:00 (from 09:00 to 15:00 Moscow time).

Deputies are elected to the 200-seat lower house of Parliament for a four-year term based on the principle of proportional representation.

The opposition Action of Dissatisfied Citizens party, led by former Prime Minister Andrei Babish, was in the lead, according to polls published by CNN Prima News last week. This party was supported by 28% of respondents, while 21% expressed support for the ruling center-right coalition Together, led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala.

The Together coalition promises to continue supporting Ukraine and increase defense spending to meet the NATO standard (allocating 5% of GDP to defense needs). The centrist party "Elders and Independents", which is part of the government, supports assistance to Ukraine and building up defense within the framework of NATO commitments.

The "Action of dissatisfied Citizens" promises to stop organizing arms supplies to Ukraine, and also expresses disagreement with plans to increase the Czech Republic's defense budget. In addition, the party opposes the system of solidarity in the reception of migrants between EU member states.

Other opposition parties have also declared themselves in the elections. The far-right Svoboda and Direct Democracy party advocates more drastic measures to limit the influx of immigrants, against increased defense spending and against further support for Ukraine, and also demands a referendum on the Czech Republic's withdrawal from the EU and NATO.

The Enough! movement, led by the Communist Party of the Czech Republic and Moravia, also advocates ending the country's membership in the EU and NATO. The movement believes that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine was provoked by the West.