New Czech Govt To Be Appointed On Monday

1 September 2006, 21:58 - Politics
Czech Republic will get a new government on Monday, more than three months after political stalemate that resulted from inconclusive Parliamentary elections. However, the government lacks parliamentary support.

President Václav Klaus will appoint new ministers with their leader Mirek Topolánek, chief of the Civic Democrats - bitter winner of June election, on Prague Castle. The party tried to set up a coalition government with Christian Democrats and Greens, but their project dissolved even before it was created. The reason was they only had 100 deputies altogether, but they need at least 101 to get a confidence vote.

The minority cabinet lacks support as well. It seems likely to lose a confidence vote prescribed by the constitution within a month of appointment.

Social democrats refused to back the minority cabinet so far. So called grand coalition (such as German model) that could solve the situation has no support among party leaders.

If new cabinet loses the confidence vote, Topolánek must resign. But they will be called to stay in functions until consecutive government is appointed. Under Czech constitution, the president can dissolve parliament and call a new elections after three

failed attempts to get confidence.

The political stalemate has affected preparations of the 2007 budget, key for the country's plan to adopt the euro in 2010. The Civic Democrats have anyway preferred deep fiscal reforms to any commitment on the date of euro entry. Topolánek said his cabinet would not set a euro entry target, and would focus on the 2007 budget, preparations for Czech EU presidency due in 2009 and arranging the election.