Green Party’s ministers to remain in cabinet

The Green Party will not withdraw its ministers from the caretaker cabinet, despite having serious reservations about the government’s long-term convergence plan approved on Monday, party leader Ondřej Liška told reporters after a meeting with Prime Minister Jan Fischer on Wednesday. The party strongly opposes plans to extend the Temelín nuclear power plant and further develop the coal-fueled Pruneřov thermal power plant in north Bohemia on the grounds that the projects will generate new jobs. Mr. Liška said the prime minister had assured him that both projects would be preceded by extensive environmental impact studies. The Greens nominated two ministers to the caretaker cabinet: Environment Minister Jan Dusík and Human Rights Minister Michael Kocáb.