Civic Democrats call on all democrats to prevent return of communists to power

After an emergency meeting of its executive leadership the Civic Democratic Party said it would not support such a government under any circumstances. Prime minister designate Mirek Topolanek said his Civic Democratic Party was prepared to form a caretaker government which would lead the country to early elections and he called on all democrats across the political spectrum to prevent the return of communists to power. Mr. Topolanek also denounced the way that his rival Jiri Paroubek walked out of the bilateral talks on a minority Civic Democrat government saying that he had lied when he said they had collapsed due to the Civic Democrat's unwillingness to compromise. They collapsed, Mr. Topolanek countered, because his rival was hungry for power regardless of the fact that he was defeated in the June general elections.

In related news, the leader of the Green Party Martin Bursik called a press conference on Thursday evening to say that his party would not enter into a coalition or vote for a government supported by the communists.

The political turbulence has slightly weakened the Czech crown and caused concern among investors that the 2007 state budget and 2010 target for the adoption of the euro currency might be affected unless a new government is formed soon.