News
New government programme to be based on former three-party-coalition agreement
Prime Minster designate and Civic Democrat leader Mirek Topolanek has said his government's programme is to be based on the outcomes of previous negotiations of his party with the Christian Democrats and the Green Party and also with the Social Democrats. Speaking in a televised debate on Sunday, Mr Topolanek said the new cabinet's programme copied that of the so-called three-party-coalition, that is a coalition of the Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats and the Greens who tried to put together a cabinet after the June election but failed as the Social Democrats refused to tolerate such a government. Mr Topolanek's cabinet will be appointed on Monday. In order to receive confidence in the lower house, Mr Topolanek will need to gain the support of at least one opposition MP in the vote that is scheduled for October 4th.
Topolanek: Paroubek has no chance to form cabinet
Mr Topolanek also said Social Democrat leader and outgoing prime minister Jiri Paroubek has no chance to successfully form a cabinet after his talks with the Christian Democrats about a Communist-backed cabinet collapsed two weeks ago. Mr Topolanek said that Mr Paroubek had lost his chance to form a new cabinet by negotiating a Communist-supported government with former Christian Democrat leader Miroslav Kalousek, a step which resulted last week in Mr Kalousek's resignation from the post of Christian Democrat chairman.
Necas: potential future attempt at forming new government after Senate elections
Civic Democrat deputy chairman Petr Necas has said that if the new cabinet of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek fails to receive confidence from the lower house, a fresh attempt at forming a new cabinet should take place after the Senate and municipal elections which will be held in late October. Mr Necas said that an attempt to put together a new cabinet before the elections would be too risky for his party.
Future ministers unveil plans
Future members of the minority cabinet of the Civic Democratic Party have articulated their concrete ideas of what to do after they are appointed. For example, future labour minister Petr Necas said work on the pension reform must be started and changes should be implemented in the welfare system that would motivate people to actively seek employment. Future local development minister Petr Gandalovic is planning to change the system of drawing money from EU funds. Mr Gandalovic says the Czech Republic needs to speed up the drawing for the years 2004-2006 as there is a big delay in some financial programmes and the country might have to return the money to Brussels.
Czech Republic beats Wales 2:1 in Euro 2008 qualifier
The Czech Republic beat Wales 2:1 in a Euro 2008 Group D qualifying match on Saturday. Substitute David Lafata scored twice on his international debut. The Czechs went 1:0 up when the 24-year-old Lafata headed in Libor Sionko's pass from close range in the 76th minute, little more than a minute after he came on. In the 85th, Czech defender Martin Jiranek knocked a cross into his own net from close range for the Welsh equaliser but Lafata scored his second four minutes later, also from close range after a pass from Sionko. The Czechs play away against Slovakia on Wednesday, while Wales are at home to the Slovaks on October 7.
Weather
The next few days should be partly cloudy with occasional showers and daytime temperatures staying just above 20 degrees Celsius.
