Czech Prime Minister to become vice-president of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Prime Minister Jan Fischer, the head of the current government, will be taking up the post of vice president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in September. Mr. Fischer’s portfolio will include communication with member countries of the bank, as well as the European Commission, and supervising environmental and social aspects of the EBRD’s work. Mr. Fischer said on Wednesday that if the formation of a new Czech government after May’s general elections should not be completed by September 1, the starting date of his term as the EBRD’s vice president, he would remain in office until the new government was formed. The Czech prime minister applied for the position of EBRD vice president on the recommendation of both the Czech finance minster and the governor of the Czech National Bank. He will be replacing the former Slovak minister of finance Brigit Schmögnerová, whose term expires this year. The EBRD’s board of directors is expected to approve Mr. Fischer’s nomination in May.