Jiri Paroubek supports Slovakia's emerging new government

Outgoing Prime Minister and Social Democrat leader Jiri Paroubek supports the decision of Slovakia's Robert Fico to enter into a coalition government with two fringe parties. Mr Fico, whose left Smer party won a June 17 election, invited the centre-left party of former authoritarian Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar and the far-right Slovak National Party of Jan Slota for talks on creating a government on Wednesday. Mr Paroubek said that although he understood Mr Fico he himself would have acted differently. The chairman of the Czech Civic Democrats, Mirek Topolanek, on the other hand has said he will not comment until the new government takes office.