War of words in lower house delays vote on new leadership

The election of a new lower house speaker, which was scheduled to take place shortly before noon on Thursday, was delayed as deputies waged a war of words for almost two hours. The debate was triggered by outgoing Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek who criticised terms of a new coalition agreement between the Civic Democrats, Christian Democrats, and the Greens. Mr Paroubek opposed the coalition's plans to introduce flat tax and also rejected their health reform and foreign policy plans.

The Civic Democrats' candidate for the post of lower house speaker, Miroslava Nemcova, was also under attack. To Mr Paroubek, Mrs Nemcova is a fanatic. Social Democrat Health Minister David Rath pointed out that Mrs Nemcova has in the past permitted her family the unauthorised use of her official car: "Whoever leads the lower house needs to be on top of things and broad-minded and not someone who steals rolls in a grocery store," he said.