Czech govt to decide on EU commissioner on Tuesday

He said the government interrupted the discussion after "a lengthy discussion."

Political leaders failed to find an agreement on a compromise candidate on Sunday. This was indicated by what Mirek Topolanek, Civic Democrat (ODS) chairman, as well as some government members said coming to a government meeting today.

Topolanek also indicated today that the name of the new commissioner could only be announced on Wednesday.

It leaked to the media at the weekend that Topolanek and Social Democrat (CSSD) chairman Jiri Paroubek offered the post to interim Prime Minister Jan Fischer.

He allegedly first agreed, but eventually rejected the post and proposed Czech National Bank (CNB) head Zdenek Tuma instead.

Fischer, Topolanek and Paroubek discussed the nomination still on Sunday evening.

Topolanek said in a press release today that the ministers should be choosing from candidates proposed by political parties.

"Unless the government reaches a majority agreement on any of them..., a new candidate will have to be found," he said.

The CSSD has been pushing for current commissioner Vladimir Spidla. The ODS supports former vice-prime minister for European affairs Alexandr Vondra, and the Greens propose the unsuccessful presidential candidate Jan Svejnar.

The CSSD appointed eight ministers, the ODS six ministers and the prime minister, and the Greens two ministers to the caretaker government that assumed power in May.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz