KSČM blames ministers for hindering parliament's work

Prague, Feb 4 (CTK) - The Czech Communists (KSCM) blame even some members of the caretaker cabinet of blocking the Chamber of Deputies deliberations along with the right-wing parties, though one day of the Chamber's plenary session costs 3 million crowns, KSCM leaders told journalists yesterday.

The left is ready to initiate further extraordinary sessions of the lower house later this month or in early March, KSCM chairman Vojtech Filip and deputies' group head Pavel Kovacik said.

"The right has decided, evidently in cooperation with certain members of the government, to prevent the ongoing [regular] session from passing any [bill] at any cost," Kovacik said.

Filip mentioned Health Minister Dana Juraskova, the Civic Democrats' (ODS) nominee in the cabinet of unaffiliated experts.

When the lower house was to vote on Wednesday on the KSCM's proposals that sickness benefits for the first three days of illness be reintroduced and maternity benefits raised to the 2009 level, Juraskova put forward her comments, thereby reopening the general debate.

Then the debate was joined by ODS deputy chairman Petr Necas, with an extremely long speech that left no more time for the deputies to take vote on the KSCM's bills, Filip said.

Prime Minister Jan Fischer, however, backed ministers and ruled out their participation in any obstructions.

Juraskova's appearance was no obstruction, Fischer said during the question time in the Chamber of Deputies yesterday.

He said Labour and Social Affairs Minister Petr Simerka also joined the debate. Both he and Juraskova did so in harmony with the order of procedure and with the aim to point to the bills' impact.

"It was no obstruction, the government did not want to make problems, the government has no reason to join obstruction practices and it will not encourage anyone doing so," Fischer said.

He said it would be absurd if Simerka, nominated by the CSSD, joined the obstruction.

The Social Democrats (CSSD), supported by the KSCM, have already initiated one extraordinary session in reaction to what they call obstructions on the part of the ODS and the conservative TOP 09. They want the session, due on Tuesday, to discuss the bills proposed by the left.

The right-wing camp says the bills, if passed, would unacceptably raise the budget deficit, now projected at 163 billion crowns. The right is not strong enough to have the bills swept off, therefore it has resorted to the tactic of delaying the Chamber's vote on them.

Filip said he has sent a letter to Prime Minister Jan Fischer, informing him about the situation in the Chamber of Deputies. He wants to propose steps that would prevent further hindering of the Chamber's work.

Fischer's cabinet consists of unaffiilated experts nominated mainly by the two strongest parties, the ODS and the CSSD.