Bursik to take over as Education Minister, for now

Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek told reporters on Thursday that he had asked the head of the Green Party, Martin Bursik, to preside over the country's Education Ministry, while a new education minister was found. The post of education minister has been vacant since the beginning of October, when Green MP Dana Kuchtova resigned. Prime Minister Topolanek said that filling the post had proved more difficult than anticipated, and so to bring some stability to the ministry he had asked Mr Bursik - who is also currently the environment minister - to stand in. The move has already been approved by President Klaus, said Mr Topolanek.

The Greens have been looking for a replacement for Mrs Kuchtova for over a month now. The party's first choice for the post, Dusan Luzny, did not win the approval of the other governing coalition partners, and prospective candidate Iva Ritschelova turned the post down early last month.