The cash-strapped government has to dive into a disaster relief fund to help finance the general election in May.
The fund, originally intended to provide aid to flood victims, holds about 3 billion Kč ($157.6 million), but at least one-third of that will be used to finance the election.
The money will cover the cost of actually staging the election and will not be spent on party campaigns.
The postponement of the October election caught the government by surprise in more ways than one, and no money was allocated in the budget for a May 2010 election.
"When we presented the budget, it was assumed an election would be in October 2009," said Finance Ministry spokesman Jakub Haas. "There is therefore no option but to release funds from the reserve due to the postponement of the election."
Official figures from the Finance Ministry showed the budget deficit spiked to a record 192 billion Kč. State finances are likely to come under more pressure after the May vote as parties try to meet their campaign promises.
This is the first time relief funds have been used to finance a general election.
There is no doubting the government's financial options are curtailed. For example, the money for road repairs following the harsh winter has a 1.5 billion Kč shortfall.
While no serious floods are predicted as the winter snows melt, the calendar is entering traditional flood season, and it is possible relief funds may have to be used some time this year.
The election bill will amount to 1.056 billion Kč, Haas told The Prague Post.
"The funds are intended to finance the needs of the State Electoral Commission, ensuring the safe conduct of the election, fund local authorities [to put voting booths in place] and ensure the election meets the criteria of the Czech Statistical Office," he said.
Apart from financing the election, the state also pays money to parties depending on their share of the vote.
"Any party or individual that garners 1.5 percent of the total number of valid votes will receive 100 Kč for each vote," Haas said. "Thus, the total sum paid depends on both the turnout and the election result. Furthermore, political parties receive annual appropriations according to the number of seats in the Chamber of Deputies, Senate and regional assemblies."
The two major parties are struggling to finance their campaigns after spending already on the canceled election.
The Civic Democrats (ODS) planned to spend some 230 million Kč on their campaign and the Social Democrats (ČSSD) about 200 million Kč.
After the election was canceled, the ODS admitted it had already spent most of a 150 million Kč loan.
The ČSSD is in the same boat. Election Manager Jaroslav Tvrdík said the party lost more than 100 million Kč due to the canceled campaign.
In the 2006 election, about 80,000 votes were needed to get 1.5 percent of the vote.