RPT-Czech PM says he will have majority in key vote

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By Alan Crosby

Two rebel deputies agreed on Tuesday to ensure Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek's centre-right coalition has a majority in a crucial vote in parliament this week, ending months of political paralysis.

Topolanek's three-party government has half the 200 seats in the lower house and needs a simple majority to win a confidence vote scheduled for Friday.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Topolanek said leftist deputies Milos Melcak and Michal Pohanka had agreed to abstain, meaning the government's 100 seats would be enough to win.

"(We) agreed that it is not in the interest of the country's political and economic stability to deepen the government crisis," Topolanek said in announcing the agreement.

The two rebels were present at the news conference and confirmed the prime minister's statement.

The two deputies said the agreement was based only on the confidence vote, and not an assurance that they would support the government in future votes.

"We believe it is not possible to continue with this (political) agony. Of course I have some reservations about the government. But I think that many of the programme concessions that we have managed to negotiate should allow for the establishment of this government," Pohanka said.

Topolanek has formed a cabinet of his right-wing Civic Democrats, the centrist Christian Democrats and the Green Party, in a second attempt to overcome the crisis crippling political life since an inconclusive election in June.

It has agreed on a pro-reform platform of tax changes, social spending cuts, and health and public budget reforms.

Topolanek, Pohanka and Melcak did not give specifics on what concessions were made, but a statement they gave out noted the areas involved would be in taxes, welfare and healthcare.

Social Democrat leader Jiri Paroubek told a separate news conference that the deal smacks of corruption.

"Parliament gets a government based on blackmailing and fraud and betrayal," Paroubek told a news conference.

Analysts said even if Topolanek wins the vote, the government may be unable to push through reforms of the pension, health, tax and welfare systems the country needs to slash its budget deficit and qualify for membership of the euro.

[PRAGUE/Reuters/Finance.cz]