Czech interim cabinet complete, ready to take over Friday

May 5, 2009, 15:08 GMT

Prague - Incoming Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer presented Tuesday his caretaker technocrat government that is planned to complete the Czech Republic's presidency of the European Union lasting though June 30.

Fischer's list is a result of a compromise, following days of wrangling over several nominations. Czech President Vaclav Klaus is expected to appoint the cabinet on Friday, following a string of farewell EU summits chaired by outgoing Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek.

Most ministers, who are to take over until early polls in mid October, are seasoned bureaucrats. Some of them have held high offices in Topolanek's cabinet.

Key foreign affairs posts are to be held by experienced diplomats. Jan Kohout, 48, a deputy foreign minister and former ambassador to the EU, is to replace Karel Schwarzenberg at the helm of the foreign ministry.

Stefan Fuele, 46, the Czech ambassador to NATO, is to take over from Alexandr Vondra as the minister for European affairs.

Fischer and the political parties backing his interim government have fought over who would control the country's finances amid the economic crisis.

They settled on a long-time deputy finance minister Eduard Janota, 57, who has been in charge of drafting state budgets since early 1990s.

Michael Kocab, 54, Topolanek's human rights minister and a rock musician, is the only cabinet member to keep his job amid rising right-wing extremism targeting the Roma.

Topolanek's three-party center-right cabinet has ruled as a caretaker since March 26, following a defeat in a parliamentary confidence motion two days earlier.

Under pressure from president Klaus, Topolanek's Civic Democrats, his junior coalition partners, the Greens, and chief opposition Social Democrats then hammered out a deal on the Fischer-led interim cabinet that would bring the country to early elections and finish its EU term.