Green ministers not to join govt imminent anti-crisis steps

Prague, Feb 8 (CTK) - The Green party's (SZ) ministers in the Czech cabinet will not be fulfilling the short-term anti-crisis measures that the Czech cabinet approved Monday, SZ chairman Ondrej Liska said, calling the measures a victory of the industrial lobby.

Liska said the Greens will decide this week whether it is meaningful for them, in the present situation, to keep their two nominees in Jan Fischer's caretaker cabinet.

Fischer said he would react to the Greens only after the possible new situation comes true.

The government agreed on the measures with the unions and employers at a tripartite meeting last week.

"Of course, it is not ruled out that the government's decision today will have certain political consequences," Fischer told journalists.

He said the whole government has voted in support of the 38-point imminent anti-crisis measures, except for Environment Minister Jan Dusik and Human Rights and Minorities Minister Michael Kocab.

Dusik and Kocab are the SZ's nominees in Fischer's interim cabinet of unaffiliated experts.

Apart from them, the cabinet consists of an equal number of ministers for each of the two strongest parties, the Civic Democrats (ODS) and the Social Democrats (CSSD).

"The government is not yielding to any industrial lobby. This is a result of its negotiations with its social partners," Fischer said.

Dusik told CTK that he is "unable to fulfil" some of the 38 points and will decide by the end of the week whether to remain in the cabinet.

Fischer said the 38 points have been agreed upon with the social partners as a result of "immense efforts."

He said the agreement of the tripartite is a great signal of consensus that should not be wasted.

The tripartite (Council for Economic and Social Agreement) comprises representatives of the government, unions and employers. Its task is to help maintain social peace.

The Greens have problem supporting the points that promote the completion of the nuclear power plant Temelin, south Bohemia, the reconstruction of the thermal power plant Prunerov, north Bohemia, and the construction of levies along the Labe (Elbe) river.

"It is absurd that now that residents of the Ostrava (north Moravia) region suffocate from smog, the government has decided not to submit a draft amendment to the law on the air to the lower house, instead of taking clear and quick steps to improve the situation," Liska told CTK.

Fischer said the government can be monitoring the course of the tender [the CEZ energy utility] put up for Temelin's completion.

He said the social partners pushed for this investment project as it can create a number of jobs.

"It would be good to ask straight the ministers for the Greens what they mind about it so much," Fischer said.

In the case of Prunerov, where hot discussions have been underway about its reconstruction method, the key say is up to the environment minister [Dusik], Fischer said.

Fischer's cabinet, established as a way out of the government crisis last spring, leads the country to the general election due on May 28-29.