Paroubek and Zeman: public spat between former and current Social Democrat leaders intensifies

Czech Social Democrat chairman and former Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek has accused the party's ex-leader Milos Zeman of being "at least ideologically responsible" for the fact that two Social Democrat deputies had not opposed the centre-right government of Mirek Topolanek in a recent confidence vote. In January, Social Democrat MPs Milos Melcak and Michal Pohanka defied the party whip by not participating in a vote of confidence in the Civic-Democrat-led coalition, which enabled it to remain in power. Mr Paroubek told the Pravo daily on Saturday that people close to Mr Zeman were behind their defection. Mr Zeman, for his part described the Social Democrat leadership in Lidove noviny as being "very unprofessional" for kicking the rebel MPs out of the party and for calling them "traitors" who had accepted bribes to support the government. Mr Zeman also criticised Mr Paroubek and other party leaders for being more interested in power and lucrative posts than a coherent programme for government. This latest spat is being seen as a sign of how relations have soured between the former political allies in recent months.