New coalition government to be sworn in on Wednesday

President Vaclav Klaus has been meeting with designated cabinet ministers before he officially appoints the new coalition government of Stanislav Gross on Wednesday. On Tuesday afternoon Mr. Klaus met with Cyril Svoboda of the Christian Democratic Party who is to retain the post of foreign minister in the old-new cabinet, with Karel Kuhnl of the Freedom Union slated to become the next defence minister and with Frantisek Bublan, the designated head of the interior ministry. All parties later described the talks as friendly and informative. The swearing in ceremony is expected to take place at 11am on Wednesday. After its appointment the government has one month in which to ask Parliament for a vote of confidence. A likely date for the vote, already being discussed, is August 24th.

The new Cabinet, headed by Stanislav Gross, will have 18 ministers, including six newcomers. Twelve ministers of the outgoing government will remain in office. The three parties of the centre-left coalition government on Monday signed a coalition agreement outlining their priorities for the coming years. Prime Minister Stanislav Gross has expressed confidence in the new administration, predicting that in spite of its slim one-vote majority in Parliament the new Cabinet would remain in office until the next general elections in 2006.