New cabinet will see many current ministers retain their posts

The new cabinet to be put forward by Prime Minister Stanislav Gross, meanwhile, is expected to see many current ministers continue in their posts. President Vaclav Klaus said on Monday he had expected to see greater differences between the outgoing and incoming cabinets, while thanking outgoing Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla's government for two year's work at a ceremony at Prague Castle.

During the day Mr Klaus received a list of new cabinet members from Prime Minister Stanislav Gross, with the president's spokesman Petr Hajek saying the president would meet with several of those named in the new cabinet on Tuesday.

Those not expected to continue in the new government include Health Minister Jozef Kubinyi, Defence Minister Miroslav Kostelka, and Deputy Prime Minister Petr Mares.

At the moment it remains unclear whether Agriculture Minister Jaroslav Palas will stay on.