- Title: CZECH REPUBLIC: COALITION LEADERS AGREE ON NEW PRO-EUROPEAN MAJORITY GOVERNMENT.
- Date: 15th April 2005
- Summary: (EU) PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (APRIL 14, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV: PRAGUE CASTLE WITH GOVERNMENT BUILDING 0.02 2. GV: GOVERNMENT BUILDING IN PRAGUE 0.05 3. GV/PAN: PRESIDENT VACLAV KLAUS ENTERING THE ROOM 0.11 4. SOUDNBITE (Czech) PRESIDENT VACLAV KLAUS SAYING: "I believe that the government crisis which is in its third month is at its end. Czech citizens wish this to end urgently" 0.25 (EU) PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (APRIL 14, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. LV: PRAGUE WITH VLTAVA RIVER AND BRIDGES AND CZECH GOVERNMENT BUILDING 0.28 6. GV: CZECH GOVERNMENT BUILDING 0.31 7. GV/PAN: POSSIBLE NEW PRIME MINISTER JAN KOHOU ENTERING THE BUILDING 0.36 8. CU: SIGN ON THE BUILDING 0.39 (EU) PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (APRIL 13, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. GV/MV/CU: JOURNALISTS WAITING FOR THE MEETING RESULTS (5 SHOTS) 0.52 10. (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CZECH PRIME MINISTER, CHAIRMAN OF SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, STANISLAV GROSS, SAYING: "We prepared the fundamental points of an agreement on the co-operation of the three parties to create a majority pro-European, democratic government. I want to inform the president of the proposal. And next - the basic points of this agreement will be discussed with our party top leaders." 1.16 11. CU: CAMERAS 1.18 12. (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER MIROSLAV KALOUSEK SAYING: "The basic points of our agreement not only give us hope but make sure that the government will be fully functional and will be working until the end of the regular election period." 1.31 13. CU: CAMERAS 1.33 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 30th April 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
- Reuters ID: LVAAI99TI5PRZC4KU9TWU4O895XR
- Story Text: Czech governing coalition leaders met overnight and
agreed on a set up of a new pro-European majority
government.
The three parties in the collapsed Czech government
agreed on Thursday (April 14) to form a new majority-backed
cabinet, ending months of political turmoil and paving the
way for Prime Minister Stanislav Gross to step down.
"I believe that the government crisis which is in its
third month is at its end. Czech citizens wish this to end
urgently", Czech President Vaclav Klaus told a press
conference.
Analysts had earlier said that if a deal was reached,
the new government would probably be weak and focus on
ratifying the new EU constitution and on the 2006 budget,
possibly leaving aside reforms of healthcare, pensions and
taxation.
The agreement, which must now be ratified by the
leadership of each party, opens the way for Gross, tainted
by a scandal surrounding his family finances, to be
replaced, probably by his candidate of choice, European
Union ambassador Jan Kohout.
The deal has averted a possible early election. The new
government is meant to see the country through to the next
regular general election due in mid-2006.
"We prepared the fundamental points of an agreement on
the co-operation of the three parties to create a majority
pro-European, democratic government," Gross told reporters after just
o
ver eight hours of talks into the early
morning.
"I want to inform the president of the proposal."
Europe's youngest leader at 35 and a former locomotive
technician, Gross said he expects the deal will be
completed in a few days.
The centrist Christian Democrats left the three-party
government in a row over Gross's family finances, stripping
the prime minister, who has denied any wrongdoing, of his
majority in parliament.
Gross's leftist Social Democrats and the rightist
Freedom Union are the other two coalition parties.
"The basic points of the agreement that we reached
provide assurance that this will be an effectively
functioning government until the end of the election
period," added Christian Democrat leader Miroslav Kalousek.
Without the deal, Gross would have faced a planned
confidence vote in parliament that he would have been
unlikely to survive without seeking help from the populist
Communists - a move that could have split Gross's party and
angered President Vaclav Klaus, who could block
reconstruction of Gross's cabinet.
Analysts said earlier this week that a deal similar to
Thursday's would help calm recent turbulence but the new
cabinet would probably be little more than a caretaker
administration that would not embark on any major reforms.
Gross had proposed a re-formed coalition with a limited
programme based on the three parties' pro-EU orientation.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
