Press conference of the Prime Minister of the CR, Mirek Topolánek after the first, festive meeting of the new government of the CR on Tuesday 9.1.2007

Martin Schmarcz, head of the press unit: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first press conference after the first festive meeting of the new government of the Czech Republic. I welcome the Prime Minister of the CR, Mirek Topolánek, I welcome the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Jiří Čunek, I welcome the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Martin Bursík, I welcome the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Petr Nečas and I welcome the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Alexander Vondra. Now, as an introduction, I give the floor to the Prime Minister, Mirek Topolánek.

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister: Good afternoon everybody. Today's meeting of the government was rather a formal one; nevertheless there were several issues on the agenda. The first point concerned the appointment of the Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs, Alexander Vondra and transfer of competences of the existing government secretary, Zdeněk Hrubý, to Alexander Vondra. The second point concerned removal of the Chairman of the Government Legislative Council, Jiří Pospíšil, and appointment of the Minister without Portfolio, Cyril Svoboda as the Chairman of the Government Legislative Council. I have also assigned a task to amend the Rules of Order of the government. The third point concerned the removal of the existing Chairman of several councils of the government - for national minorities, for Roman community affairs, for non-state non-profit organizations, and transfer of these competences to the Minister without Portfolio, Džamila Stehlíková. She will be also responsible for the Government Council for Human Rights, which is chaired by Mr. Litomiský and the Government Board for People with Disabilities, in which I am the Chairman. The responsibility will be taken over by the Minister without Portfolio, Džamila Stehlíková, as well. There was a point on the agenda, which was rather abnormal and which, because of necessity, had to be debated today; it was a proposal of deputy Říman, a small change that amends the Act on Fuels and which makes life of entrepreneurs and tradesmen easier. It was not anything essential; there was no discussion on it. And completely new issue was information of the Minister of Industry and Trade on the yesterday's affair regarding oil supplies. We assigned the Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs with a task to take certain steps in cooperation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and concurrently we charged the Minister of Industry and Trade to start working on possible alternatives. Nevertheless, we stated that there was no doubt on final solution of the situation and that supplies in our territory are not jeopardized. That is perhaps all as an introduction. Now, allow me to say a few words that I could not say at the Prague Castle. In case of the first government, we expressed our hope that a period of instability and even of chaos on our political scene would be solved, in case of the second government I do not express my hope any longer, but I express rather my feelings of necessity in this sense. The project is feasible and I think it is fair, as it clearly defines tasks of the government; and these are either reform-aimed governance or calling an early election. And I think it is clear that all participating parties agree on it in this sense. Thank you.

Martin Schmarcz, head of the press unit: Now I give the floor to the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Jiří Čunek.

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister: I have forgotten to say that I had appointed Jiří Čunek as the 1st Deputy Prime Minister.

Jiří Čunek, 1st deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: Thank you, I do not have special liking for that. Today's meeting of the government was for many of us a premiere one; in spite of this fact I am convinced that not only I, but also my colleagues have taken this step in the shortest time, i.e. we entered the government to solve the situation in the Czech Republic. I mean either through reform, through reform-aimed government, or through an early election. And from this point of view I believe that we will ask for confidence as soon as possible, so that all steps, which we had promised, could be taken very quickly.

Martin Schmarcz, head of the press unit: And now, as the last one, the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Martin Bursík, will be given the floor.

Martin Bursík, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment: Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. The government started to work very fast and nobody of us has a reason to impede it. We know that the Czech Republic needs a government, which will gain confidence, or it needs to speed up situation, so that we proceed to an early election. We regard it very seriously. I very appreciate introductory speech of the Prime Minister who emphasized a team spirit of the government, his way of equal "treatment" ministers of various political parties. We were speaking about necessity to remove useless animosities between the individual ministries, which can be removed through dialogue and communication. It recalled me times , when I was here, some nine years ago, and I think it is a good start for the government, so that it could operate as a team and so that its results would be approved consensually with large support and thus the mandate of political decisions would have sufficient importance.

Martin Schmarcz, head of the press unit: Ladies and gentlemen, now there is time for your question. TV Prima. I have not noticed anybody else who had raised his hand.

Helena Šulcová, TV Prima: I would like to ask, Prime Minister, if you have any idea of the date of vote of confidence for your government. And further question – social democrats indicated that they were ready to negotiate with you. They want to negotiate in live broadcasting; have you already arranged a meeting? And they have also presented number of reservations regarding that programme; are there any programme concessions possible? Thank you.

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister: As to the idea of the live broadcasting, I remember I had similar idea in August, when way of performance and way of behaviour of politicians of social democracy were worth of seeing for the Czech public. Therefore I do not resist open negotiation at all; I would even say that I am a politician, who has been negotiating openly for seven months. As to the concrete agenda of those negotiations, what would be price of toleration of the government, I would leave it for those negotiations. So there is possibility to arrange such negotiations. As to the date of the vote of confidence, I think that the 1st Deputy Prime Minister has said that we would not be those who would impede it. It depends on the speed of negotiations and I am of the opinion, they cannot last very long; it also depends on an approval of the programme declaration of the government, which thanks to establishing a team for preparation of the document, should be realized on Wednesday morning. Therefore, I suppose that we will certainly not stall the date and we will certainly not be waiting for 30 days. By the term Wednesday I meant in the morning, of course. I apologize myself.

Martin Schmarcz, head of the press unit: Further question, please. I can see iDnes over there.

Radek Bartoníček, iDnes.cz: I would like to ask the Prime Minister, whether it means that he accepts, let us say, offer of the Chairman of the CSSD to negotiate in live broadcasting. And then I would ask chairmen of smaller parties, whether they will negotiate with the Chairman Paroubek, or with other deputies of the social democracy.

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister: I must say, Mr. Bartoníček, that I am glad that Jiří Paroubek accepts my offer to negotiate and therefore I would be glad if the interpretation would be clear, as it was me, who called him to negotiate a long time ago. Second, I do not suppose it will be a TV duel Topolánek – Paroubek, to which we were used before elections, but that it will be serious negotiation of three coalition partners with the social democracy in composition agreed. But it will not be undoubtedly a dual Topolánek – Paroubek.

Jiří Čunek, 1st deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: I think the answer was absolutely clear.

Martin Bursík, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment: I do not think we should make a light genre of it. And nobody mentioned different aspect of this matter, whether the general public would like to watch such a long live broadcasting of these negotiations. I am afraid that ratings would not be very high after this half a year of negotiations and I do not know which TV would be willing to devote its time to it. But, so as to transfer my speech to the serious mode, we care for negotiations with politicians of the social democracy, of course, we care to negotiate with them in as large composition as possible. We want to negotiate matter-of-factly, to discuss concrete principles that were agreed in the coalition agreement. We do not expect the programme declaration to differ much from the coalition agreement. The extent of details that were agreed is very large, untraditional, in fact, it means we can start negotiations immediately and it is just a formal matter who will invite whom and what it will be like. I think that if we insisted on it, we would just increase tension. Here, it is a matter of facts; it is a matter of style of governance, objectives of the country. It is not a question who will invite whom and who will participate in it.

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister: I just add that after those seven months I think that nobody wants to make a light genre of it. We are witnesses of seven months of the blockade, refusals and procedural obstructions from the side of Jiří Paroubek. And now I think that this offer, in spite of the fact I am not afraid of it, has the only one sense, to prolong negotiations, to complicate them and I think we will not rise to he bait, as the Czech republic and its citizens do not deserve situation when we would make a comedy of it, to discredit negotiations, which might me complicated. It will be a discussion on willingness of the social democracy to tolerate the government similarly as it was the ODS in 1998 and the Zeman´s party in 1996. I do not think it is anything special that might be debated.

Martin Schmarcz, head of the press unit: Further question, please. iDnes again with additional question.

Radek Bartoníček, iDnes.cz: I apologize myself, I just complete my question. Prime Minister, do not you think that you are rather bad diplomat, if you say that he wants to prolong negotiations, that there is nothing special, which might be debated and that through this statement of yours the chance of successful negotiations with the social democracy is minimal?

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister: Mr. Bartoníček, we have had to listen to so many statements of Jiří Paroubek recently about his unwillingness to support the government that it is not me who is not diplomatic.

Martin Schmarcz, head of the press unit: Further question, please. TV Markíza.

Martin Maruniak, TV Markíza: Good afternoon, Prime Minister. I know it may be insignificant question for you; nevertheless, viewers in Slovakia would like to know whether you are going to visit Slovakia as a new Prime Minister, if you do not mind that on Wednesday you will be forerun by the President?

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister: The visit of the President has been planned for a long time; it was approved by the former government and so the visit is not any surprise for me, on the contrary. I will go to Slovakia, whether it will be a formal visit or an informal one. I think that we have topics for discussion with the Slovak government and especially with Robert Fico in the context of yesterday's affair. By the way, the energy security was one of the main topics during my last visit and I would say that our words, our common fears came true. I do not now when the visit will be realized, we meet at various European actions, but Slovakia is undoubtedly a country, which we visit to naturally solve possible problems or our common interests. So, I will not tell you the date, but I will certainly go there.

Martin Maruniak, TV Markíza: One more question. You are speaking about Robert Fico like about a friend of yours ...

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister: That was you who have said it, not I.

Martin Maruniak, TV Markíza: Could be Robert Fico a man who could mediate between you and Jiří Paroubek?

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister: I do not think so. I think that Czech and Slovak relationships are above-standard. Therefore, as I have said several times, it is all the same who represents the Czech or the Slovak government. In this sense, our relationships are above-standard, or they are friendly, as you had said. I do not think we should intermeddle in a situation in Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and I do not think that Robert Fico should do it in the Czech Republic.

Martin Schmarcz, head of the press unit: Ladies and gentlemen, is there any further question? Once more, but for the last time iDnes.

Radek Bartoníček, iDnes.cz: The last question, Prime Minister, I promise. You said that apart from negotiations with Jiří Paroubek, there will be certain negotiations with deputies or with certain individual deputies of the social democracy. Could you specify these negotiations, which will be with different persons than with Jiří Paroubek, if there will be any. Thank you.

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister: Mr. Bartoníček, you have been listening to me attentively during last days and thus you must have seen certain time sequence of these steps. So I said that we would start negotiations about an institutional support and in case of failure, we would start negotiations about a non-institutional support, I mean discussion with the individual deputies. I am considering a step we have debated today to address all deputies of the social democracy with a letter, in which they would be called to such an action.

Martin Schmarcz, head of the press unit: Further question, MfDnes in case it will not repeat questions of the iDnes

Václav Dolejší, MfDnes: I will not. Good afternoon. I would just like to ask the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister Bursík, whether today's festive ceremony at the Castle was scared by the fact that the President Klaus has not identified himself with this government.

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister: Owing to the fact that you, Mr. Dolejš, just as I, were at the Prague Castle, the answer is no, it was scared nowise. It was a standard appointment with all pertinences and in this sense the attitude of all participants was absolutely professional.

Martin Bursík, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment: Neither the ceremony nor the participants were scared.

Martin Schmarcz, head of the press unit: I can see the TV Prima.

Helena Šulcová, TV Prima: Concerning what you have said that you would address social democrats with a letter. You will send the letter after ....

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister: I said I was considering it.

Helena Šulcová, TV Prima: Yes, you would do it after possible failure of those negotiations with Mr. Paroubek, you would send the letter out after that?

Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister: Yes, I said I was considering it.

Martin Schmarcz, head of the press unit: Ladies and gentlemen, are there any further questions? If it is not so, I finish the press conference and I am looking forward to the meeting of the government next Wednesday.