News

Prime Minister designate, Mirek Topolanek, says that he is not expecting the Christian Democrats and the Green Party to support a Civic Democratic minority government in a vote of confidence in the lower house. Mr. Topolanek made the statement in an interview for the daily Hospodarske Noviny, clarifying that there must be a basic agreement between the two largest parties—the Civic Democrats and the Social Democrats—in order for any government to work. However, Mr. Topolanek also says that he also hopes to cooperate with the smaller parties—the Christian Democrats and the Greens—throughout his government's mandate.

Following June's elections which left the lower house split 100:100 for left vs. right parties, Mr. Topolanek's Civic Democrats worked on a coalition deal with the Christian Democrats and the Greens, but were still left with one vote short of a majority in the lower house.

Mr. Topolanek is currently in the process of forming a minority government. The current government's ministers will stay in their posts until a new cabinet is formed. As it stands, the country also has two prime ministers, with Jiri Paroubek standing as the acting prime minister until Mirek Topolanek forms a new cabinet.

On a visit to Washington, D.C., Czech representatives of the ministries of foreign affairs and defense have learned that a US anti-missile base which may be housed on Czech territory (or in Poland) would serve to protect all of Europe from missile attack. Members of the Czech delegation expressed surprise at the news relayed by American military experts. The United States is expected to announce its central European locations of preference for radar and missile defense systems sometime in the coming months, perhaps as soon as September.

Jan Spata, one of the Czech Republic's leading documentary film makers, has died; he was 73. Born on 25 October 1932 in Nachod, Mr. Spata studied at FAMU and also earned his credentials as a cameraman in films made by other Czech directors such as Helena Trestikova and Jiri Papousek. His own career as a director began in the mid-1960s and he made over 100 films, becoming a mentor to many younger film-makers and earning over 60 awards at festivals at home and abroad. Jan Spata's last work appeared in 1998—a two part autobiographical piece, "Laska, kterou opoustim" or 'The love I'm leaving behind.' Jan Spata passed away in Prague on Friday morning after a serious illness.

Newly-named Prime Minister designate Mirek Topolanek has said he will provide rival politician and head of the Social Democrats Jiri Paroubek with a list of candidates for his new cabinet on Monday. Mr Topolanek said as much in a recent live broadcast for one of the commercial Czech radio stations Frekvence 1. Although he mentioned no names, it is known that his party, the Civic Democrats, would like the new minority government to include figures like Alexander Vondra - a former ambassador to the US, and Petr Gandalovic, the mayor of Usti nad Labem, north Bohemia. Rival Social Democrats have already stated they will be willing to tolerate the minority government under certain conditions. But, some proposed candidates could supposedly prove to be sticking points, among them Vlasitmil Tlusty to head the Finance Ministry, or Ivan Langer to head the Interior Ministry. Negotiations on the new cabinet will continue next week.