Press briefing of Prime Minister and Chairman of the ODS, Mirek Topolánek after negotiations of the ODS and the ČSSD on Monday 13.11.2006

Martin Schmarcz, head of press unit: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the press briefing after negotiations of delegations of the ODS and the ČSSD on forming a new government. As an introduction you will hear speeches of the two chairmen. The Chairman of the ČSSD will start as the first one.

Jiří Paroubek, Chairman of the ČSSD: Ladies and gentlemen, we were talking about various eventualities of the post-election arrangement. Of course, the situation is rather complicated, as I always try to understand the internal problems that political parties may have several days before their congress. And it is evident that both sides have a stake in stabile political solution, in solution of principal problem areas of the life of this country. I mean the issue of the European presidency, reversion to the convergence programme, stabilization of public finances and the issue of the state administration, which should be more effective. We also considered necessity to debate and to find institutional solution, together with other political parties in the country, in the area of reform of the Police, fight against corruption, intelligent services, we considered necessity to stabilize the sphere of healthcare, to remove barriers to entrepreneurship, to strengthen the concept of science, research and education and other issues, of course. Taking into account relations in the Chamber of Deputies, it is possible only on the basis of broad dialogue, national dialogue, and especially on the basis of certain degree of cooperation of the two greatest political parties. And, on behalf of the Social Democratic Party, I would like to say that we are ready to cooperate to such an extent.

Martin Schmarcz, head of press unit: Now the Prime Minister and Chairman of the ODS, Mirek Topolánek, has the floor.

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister and Chairman of the ODS: I would start before I specify all the programme blocks, about which we have debated. I think that it emerged from the statement of the Chairman Paroubek that we were finding a programme consensus or a programme point of intersections; the result is that while the first government that I formed was the government, which had clearly declared that it headed to early elections, the second government, which I will be forming will be a government, which will be seeking more stabile solution. Early elections as a concept failed and one of reasons was that the senatorial amendment of the Constitution is pending in the Chamber of Deputies and thus it cannot be a part of the early elections arrangement. So, we are seeking, and we have known it since the very beginning, that without principal agreement with the Social Democratic Party such a consensus cannot be reached. We will be seeking, on the basis of democratic political parties, something what I would call a government of national dialogue and the Czech presidency. Based on this, we will be trying to reach such an agreement, so that the government will hold out longer than until the next year, so that the government could solve principal problems of the country, primarily the Czech presidency of the EU. I suppose that at the moment it is all what we are able to say, because we have not reached further agreements. If you ask, and this question will certainly be asked, provided that we reach such an agreement with the ČSSD, with the Green party and with the KDU-ČSL, what will be the date of forming a new government, then I dare today the date. If such a concept is successful, it could be within a fortnight.

Martin Schmarcz, head of press unit: Ladies and gentlemen, your questions, please. I can see Mr. Takáč and then Mr. Bartoníček raised his hand.

Daniel Takáč, ČT: Good morning. And will it be a government in which all parties will participate or just one party will participate or will tolerate it? Have you got on to this, let us say, parameters of the agreement?

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister and Chairman of the ODS: No, we have not. It is quite evident that it will not be on the basis of these two parties, which we represent here today. Jiří Paroubek, Chairman of the ČSSD: I think that it is premature question and I think that we will revert to it in the following days and weeks. I am convinced that we are really able to reach a solution within some 10 or 14 days.

Daniel Takáč, ČT: And do you agree with the concept that it will not be on the basis of two parties?

Jiří Paroubek, Chairman of the ČSSD: Look, the principal agreement, and it says also the Chairman of the KDU-ČSL, after all, will have to be on the basis of the two parties, and whether there will be further parties engaged, we will see. We suppose broader solution.

Martin Schmarcz, head of press unit: Mr. Bartoníček.

Radek Bartoníček, iDnes news: I would like to ask you, Chairman Paroubek, whether you prefer the governmental role, or whether the opposition role is more probable. And a question for the Prime Minister, whether, let us say, the dispute and the distance between the two parties, which has been prevailing, whether it is receding?

Jiří Paroubek, Chairman of the ČSSD: As to what you are asking about, I would say that for the Social Democratic Party it is not crucial whether it will be a government party or a opposition one, but in any case the Social Democratic Party has always pursued primarily interests of the country and this constructive interest we will be pursuing in next weeks and years.

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister and Chairman of the ODS: I suppose that my answer will not be different. The general public is concerned, it must be after five months, it expects rather an agreement than disagreement. Here, any personal ambitions must be left. I do not have a feeling that we would not be able to reach a solution. Anyway, we will do our best to achieve it. We, if you are following it, we have been keeping in the background after the elections.

Martin Schmarcz, head of press unit: Mr. Takáč.

Daniel Takáč, ČT: Prime Minister, you said that the solution should find a government, which will be here longer than until the next year. Can you quantify what it means longer? And what you have in you your mind ... inarticulate ... that there will be a debate on the date 2009, extraordinary term?

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister and Chairman of the ODS: We of course are trying to find, and the debate is just starting, institutional, time and programme consensus; discussions are beginning. There is a negotiation with the Green Party ahead of me today. Undoubtedly, we will be meeting in this and in the following week, we are finding. If such a government is to have sense and programme ambitions, then of course its name is, or its name should be the government for the Czech presidency and national dialogue, and such a government should have ambitions to last until 2009, at least.

Jiří Paroubek, Chairman of the ČSSD: I would say that the time framework is from one year and a half to three years.

Martin Schmarcz, head of press unit: Ladies and gentlemen, are there any further questions? Mr. Bartoníček.

Radek Bartoníček, iDnes news: One more question. As to the Green Party regarding the overall concept, do you care much about its engagement in the government? If it is not part of the government, will somebody matter it?

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister and Chairman of the ODS: You are aiming of course at the institutional arrangement of the government, by your questions. It is something that nobody will be able and to willing to answer, because these parties will have to reach an agreement on it. I cannot answer you in this sense intentionally.

Jiří Paroubek, Chairman of the ČSSD: I would like to confirm that it is a question of those following days.

Newsman, Právo daily: I would like to ask, whether the Communist Party will be invited to the dialogue?

Jiří Paroubek, Chairman of the ČSSD: We carry on a dialogue with the Communist Party, I mean the Social Democratic Party.

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister and Chairman of the ODS: We, as civil democrats, do not carry on a dialogue with the Communist Party.

Jiří Paroubek, Chairman of the ČSSD: You can see how broad is our coalition potential, the Social Democratic Party carries on a dialogue with all parties.

Martin Schmarcz, head of press unit: Ladies and gentlemen, are there any further questions? If it is not so, thank you for your attention.