President-elect promuises to fill constitutional court vacancies with all possible speed

President-elect Milos Zeman said on Monday that he would do his best to consolidate the Czech constitutional court by filling its vacancies with all possible speed. He said he intended to propose four candidates for constitutional court judges shortly after his inauguration in March and another four in June. The term of seven judges of the 15-member court will expire this year. The court lacks three judges even now and further vacancies would present a serious problem. Moreover the mandate of the court’s chairman Pavel Rychetsky is due to expire in the summer. Mr. Zeman said he would propose his reappointment to the post. Candidates for constitutional judges are nominated by the president and confirmed or rejected by the Senate.