News

The leader of the Social Democrats, Jiri Paroubek, has told President Vaclav Klaus that his party is waiting for a chance to form a new cabinet, an option they see as viable. Speaking after meeting President Klaus at Prague Castle on Thursday, he said the Social Democrats were seeking a coalition partner, not early elections. Mr Paroubek said the President did not comment on the statement, nor did he indicate what his further steps would be. Under the Czech Constitution, President Klaus is now to appoint a new prime minister after a first attempt at forming a government failed last month.

President Klaus has said earlier that he wants to see a government that will lead the Czech Republic to early elections, while enjoying the confidence of the lower house. On Friday, all five parliamentary party leaders are scheduled to meet jointly with Mr. Klaus at Prague Castle.

Both the Green Party and the Christian Democrats say they will back the constitutional amendment facilitating the dissolution of the lower house and early elections, but the two small parties differ as to the line-up of the cabinet which should lead the country to early elections. While the Greens would like to see a caretaker cabinet made up of unaffiliated experts, the Christian Democrats favour a cabinet representing all parties in the lower house with the exception of the Communists.

The outgoing Finance Minister Vlastimil Tlusty has decided to take legal action against the head of the European Democrats, a small right-wing party, MEP Jana Hybaskova, for having accused him of corruption without producing sufficient evidence. He told reporters on Thursday he would demand 5 million crowns. Jana Hybaskova has already apologised to Justice Minister Jiri Pospisil. Just before the Senate and local elections Mrs. Hybaskova accused the Civic Democratic Party of having asked for a three-million-crown bribe in a certain transaction - money which was allegedly intended for two Civic Democratic Party ministers and a deputy for that party.

The arrival of first snow in the Czech Republic as well as freezing temperatures overnight have caused traffic accidents mainly on the D1 motorway between Prague and Brno as many drivers were caught off-guard. A 60-year-old man froze to death outside his house near Brno after drinking alcohol - the second victim of the season, according to the police. In previous days, snow appeared only on the mountaintops in the Czech Republic while on Thursday, larger areas across the country were covered by a thin layer.