Topolanek may ask Pavel Zarecky to serve in minority cabinet

Prime Minister designate, Mirek Topolanek, has indicated that he will likely nominate Pavel Zarecky for a ministerial post in the emerging Civic Democratic minority government, even though Mr. Zarecky is not a Civic Democrat. Mr. Zarecky led the Committee on Legislation and served as minister without portfolio in the previous Social Democratic cabinet of Jiri Paroubek. Mr. Topolanek revealed his intentions in an interview for the Saturday edition of the daily Mlada Fronta Dnes, though he refused to name others who may figure in his new minority cabinet, saying only that names which appeared during the previous negotiations with the three-party coalition still stand.

Mr. Topolanek is currently in the process of trying to secure an agreement from the Social Democrats by which a minority Civic Democratic led government would be tolerated. Reports say that an agreement between the two largest Czech political parties could be on the table sometime next week.