News

The Civic Democratic minority cabinet of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek has submitted its resignation to President Vaclav Klaus. Mr. Topolanek met with Mr. Klaus at Prague Castle on Wednesday afternoon at 13:30, after the cabinet's morning session where the expected step was approved. The minority Civic Democratic cabinet failed to win a vote of confidence in the lower house last week, triggering the fall of the first attempt at a government in the Czech Republic since the June elections. President Klaus has requested that the outgoing government remain in place until after the October 21st local and senate elections.

During Wednesday afternoon's meeting at Prague Castle, Mr. Klaus said that four governments have resigned during his three-an-a-half years in office—only one as a result of an election—and that this high number of politically-inspired resignations says something about the situation in the Czech Republic.

On Thursday, President Klaus plans to begin meetings concerning the formation of a new government. Social Democratic leader Jiri Paroubek says that he should be entrusted with the second attempt at forming a government. It remains unclear who President Klaus will choose to entrust with the task.

Reacting to Tuesday's arrest of three men suspected of corruption and illegally siphoning monies from European Structural Funds projects, the Minister for Regional Development, Petr Gandalovic, has temporarily suspended all projects that fall under the category of the Joint Regional Operation Program (SROP). The announcement came Wednesday afternoon, and Mr. Gandalovic told reporters that the ministry wants to conduct an audit on all projects which started in December 2004 or later, and that this should happen as quickly as possible.

On Tuesday the unit investigating organized crime in the Czech Republic arrested Zdenek Dolezel, Ladislav Peta and Miloslav Rehulka on suspicion of illegal practices concerning EU Structural Funds. The Social Democratic ex-minister for regional development, Radek Martinek, told the press that there are additional cases of suspected fraud. The Social Democratic leadership has distanced itself from the affair, saying it's a question of individuals failing, and has no reflection on the party.

The complete collection of songs from Jaromir Nohavica's new CD, Prazska palena, have surfaced as part of the Communist Party's promotional CD in the north Moravian district of Ostrava-south. The popular folk singer did not give permission for his music to be part of the Communist Party's senate and regional election campaign, and is upset by the development. In a statement for the media, Mr. Nohavica said that "the communists always nationalized property and stole. But it surprised me that they are handing out songs that were written against their policies." Ten thousand CDs have been produced as part of the Communist Party's campaign. A representative from the Ostrava Communists says that his party did not know about the content of the promotional material, which was the responsibility of an agency, and therefore the party need not apologize to Mr. Nohavica.

Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek is expected to resign from office on Wednesday, triggering the fall of his minority Civic Democrat government which lost a vote of confidence in the lower house earlier this month. President Klaus has said he would accept the Prime Minister's resignation but would ask his cabinet to remain in office until a new government can be appointed. Talks will then begin anew on the formation of a new Czech government and President Klaus said on Tuesday that he would start talks with the smaller parties first and then work his way to the big players. The president is not expected to appoint a new prime minister designate until after the local and Senate elections which are to be held on October 21st.