Prague - The Czech Constitutional Court Wednesday threw out a part of the country's public finance reform intended to stamp out abuse of sick leave.

The move was seen as a setback to the centre-right government's efforts to tame public finances, but as a triumph for the Social Democratic opposition that asked the country's top court to review the highly disputed fiscal reform.

The court nullified a provision under which employees were barred from receiving sickness benefit for the first three days of their illness.

The provision was aimed at discouraging absentees from abusing the sick leave system to take a few days off without having to use vacation time.

The court ruled that the provision was unconstitutional, as it breached the right to adequate security during illness, and damaged honest employees.

"As a result, sick people will draw vacation time to recover, which is an outright contradiction of its purpose," CTK news agency cited judge Petr Duchon as saying.

Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek told reporters that he did not understand what made the provision unconstitutional.

"I respect the Constitutional Court's decision, but I deeply disagree with it," CTK quoted him as saying.

According to the labour ministry, the sick leave reform introduced in January has already resulted in a drop of short-term illnesses early or late in the week.

Similar rules apply in 12 out of the 15 old European Union member states, the ministry said. Parliament has to come up with new rules by the end of June, or return to those valid prior to the reform. (dpa)