LN: Former ČSSD leader Paroubek may leave party

Prague, May 20 (CTK) - Jiri Paroubek, former Czech prime minister and Social Democrat (CSSD) leader, is considering leaving the party, daily Lidove noviny (LN) writes Friday, carrying an interview with him.

Paroubek is flirting with the idea of joining the extra-parliamentary Czech National Social Party (CSNS 2005), LN writes.

The CSNS 2005 won 0.02 percent in the 2010 general elections.

Paroubek was a member of its predecessor, the Czechoslovak Socialist Party (CSS), for 16 years under the Communist regime.

Paroubek's departure from the CSSD will depend on whether the Social Democrats will insist on his services, LN writes.

Paroubek has complained that the current party leadership does not sufficiently respect him, LN writes.

CSNS 2005 leader Karel Janko has confirmed Paroubek's overtures to the party, LN writes.

Janko said the party's representatives were conducting talks with Paroubek.

"Paroubek would be a contribution to our party. We keep negotiating. There are some conditions on both sides that have not been cleared up," Janko is quoted as saying.

This is to be made clear by the autumn, LN writes.

Paroubek himself is reluctant to speak about a specific deadline. "It is not yet on the order of the day," he told the paper.

He indicated the final decision might be made in the summer.

The relations between Paroubek and the current CSSD leadership cooled before the party's March congress when he did not receive a sufficiently dignified invitation, LN writes.

However, current party leader Bohuslav Sobotka said Paroubek might be appointed finance minister in the CSSD shadow government that would be unveiled in late May, LN writes.

"We hope that Paroubek realises that he was elected for CSSD, that he has a mandate for the CSSD and that in the past he harshly criticised renegades," CSSD deputy chairman Lubomir Zaoralek told the paper.

Zaoralek admitted that Paroubek's departure would be a loss for the Social Democrats. "Certainly in the Chamber of Deputies as he largely contributes to the party's attitudes," Zaoralek said.

"I can see the challenge I may take up. This means getting into the Chamber of Deputies the party of Czechoslovak President Edvard Benes, whose member I was for 16 years," Paroubek told the paper.

"It is a tremendous challenge because except for a handful of the faithful who have survived the past 20 years, the party almost ceased to exist," Paroubek said.

"If the CSSD is not interested in my services, I will look elsewhere," he added.

Paroubek was Czech prime minister in 2005-2006 and headed the Social Democrats in 2006-2010. He stepped down after the 2010 general elections after which the Social Democrats failed to form a government.

Paroubek was a member of the CSS in 1970-1986.

Milos Zeman, Social Democrat leader in 1993-2001, left the Social Democrats in 2007 and then established his own Party of Citizens' Rights (SPO).