Czech president accepts resignation of gov't

PRAGUE. March 27. KAZINFORM. Czech President Vaclav Klaus accepted the resignation of the center-right coalition government headed by Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek on Thursday.

However, after a meeting with Topolanek, Klaus said the government in resignation should not rule long, that is till the end of the Czech EU presidency on June 30, or till early elections. The cabinet of the ODS, the Christian Democrats and the Greens failed a no confidence vote by the lower house on Tuesday. Klaus said a new government must be formed on the basis of a political consensus in the Chamber of Deputies. He said he would give a chance to form a new government to anybody who would bring an absolute majority of 101 votes for the government in the 200-seat lower house. He also said he would not accept a temporary government until the end of the Czech presidency, early or even regular elections; Kazinform refers to Xinhua. Klaus said that the solution to the government crisis must be quick due to the economic crisis and the Czech Republic's EU presidency in the first half of 2009, which requires a government with a full mandate. Topolanek also confirmed that time plays an important role. On Wednesday evening, He accused Klaus of being behind the fall of his government, along with Prague Mayor Pavel Bem and ODS deputy Vlastimil Tlusty. "I was prepared to ignore this debate in order to achieve something positive," Klaus said Thursday after the meeting.