Gov't to replace trains with busses during strike

Prague, June 14 (CTK) - The Czech government wants to secure alternative bus transport for the trains that will not operate over a nationwide strike on Thursday, Prime Minister Petr Necas told journalists yesterday.

The Transport Ministry is to hire 200 buses from private hauliers and they may be reinforced by up to 150 buses from the Defence Ministry, Necas (Civic Democratic Party, ODS) said.

Defence Minister Alexandr Vondra (ODS) told CTK the military would provide its buses wherever the alternative transport could not be ensured in any other way.

"Specific talks are underway between the Czech Rail (CD) and the military," Vondra said, adding that the proposal would probably be approved by the government on Wednesday.

If it is, the military will provide not only buses, but also its drivers, Vondra said.

Opposition Social Democrat (CSSD) leader Bohuslav Sobotka has called on Necas not to draw the military into a political dispute between the government and the trade unions.

"In my view, the military should not be abused in such a way in a democratic state," Sobotka said.

Sobotka said after the experiences from before 1989, the general public in the Czech Republic was "very sensitive to the police and military intervening in political disputes in any way."

The trade unions have declared a strike against the government reform package for Thursday.

Trains will not operate across the Czech Republic and public transport will be fully or significantly reduced in Prague, Brno and some other towns.

The trade unions are also preparing a blockade "of bigwigs" and a rally in Prague.

The special buses are only to drive in the towns and villages that only have train traffic, Necas said.

These are to be earmarked by the regional authorities. "They will certainly not fully replace the train traffic," Necas, adding that the government wanted to help the people who would be stranded on the rail after Wednesday midnight without any other transport means.

Necas said he was convinced that the strike would take place and the trade unions would not call it off.

Necas said this was a sign of the "link between trade union bosses and the CSSD."