Agreement on government unlikely within next week

Deputy leaders of the Czech Republic's two largest political parties -- Petr Necas of the Civic Democrats and Bohuslav Sobotka of the Social Democrats - agree that a new government is unlikely to be formed within the next week. The two men agreed on this position during a discussion on the Sunday TV debate program, Otazky Vaclava Moravce. Mr. Necas admitted that it is highly unlikely that any coalition agreement will be sealed before the upcoming Civic Democratic Party congress. On behalf of the Social Democrats, Mr. Sobotka said that it is also unlikely they will accept the first formal offer for cooperation from the Civic Democrats, which is expected to come on Monday when representatives from these parties meet to negotiate.