Opposition wants finance minister to resign over strike

Prague, June 12 (CTK) - Finance Minister Kalousek should resign as this would be a sign that the government is ready to resume the dialogue, Bohuslav Sobotka, leader of the Czech opposition Social Democrats (CSSD), said yesterday, reacting to the strike against the government fiscal reforms on Thursday.

Communist deputy Stanislav Grospic said the Friday court decision cancelling the strike originally planned for Monday was "highly politically expedient."

The court banned the strike since it had not been announced three working days before its beginning. As a result, the trade unions have moved the strike to Thursday and appealed the court ruling.

"The confrontational political style, advocated by Prime Minister Petr Necas's government in these days, cannot resolve problems and social tension caused by the reforms, rightfully considered unfair by a majority of society," Sobotka said in a press release.

Sobotka has called for an immediate dialogue of the government with the trade unions and the opposition, calling the verdict disputable.

CSSD deputy chairman Michal Hasek wrote an open letter to Necas in which he asked him how far he was ready to go when defending his position.

Hasek said the government was acting like Communists before 1989, when abusing security forces and courts to defend its policy.

Hasek said it was noteworthy that court disputes often lasted for years, but this time the government had "its" ruling ready within a few hours.

"The rightist coalition government of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), TOP 09 and the Public Affairs (VV) is unable to ensure the basic state services and it is clinging to the implementation of its anti-popular reforms of the pension, welfare, health, tax and labour law systems," Grospic said.