Paroubek expresses conviction country will see early elections

Jiri Paroubek, the leader of the country's largest opposition party the Social Democrats, has expressed the conviction that the current ruling coalition will fall within the next three months. On Friday he told the CTK news agency that the country could see early elections in roughly one year's time. The Social Democrats have called a no confidence vote for next week which the government is expected to survive. The opposition can count on only 98 out of 200 votes. The ruling coalition has itself staked its future on the success of its proposed fiscal reforms.