Grebenicek signals reversal in Communist position on no-confidence vote after two-hour meeting with Gross

The embattled Czech Prime Minister, Stanislav Gross, will face a parliamentary vote of no-confidence on Friday. The announcement comes as the leadership of the Christian Democratic Party, a junior partner in Mr Gross' ruling coalition, said on Wednesday it would leave the government if he continues as premier; party leader Miroslav Kalousek said all Christian Democrat ministers (foreign affairs, transport, environment) will resign on Thursday.

Separately, the head of the opposition Communist Party, Miroslav Grebenicek, who earlier this week had said he would urge his colleagues to support the no-confidence motion, said after a two-hour meeting on Wednesday with Mr Gross that his deputies might not vote against him after all. Mr Grebenicek said that the policies of the centre-right Civic Democrats, the main opposition party, which had called for the vote, were more of a concern to the Communists than were the past mistakes of the current government.

The no-confidence vote stems from calls for Prime Minister Gross to step down over alleged discrepancies in his personal finances, including his purchase of a luxury apartment in Prague six years ago, as well as his wife Sarka Grossova's business activities.