ČSSD would rule with neither VV nor KSČM, chairman Sobotka says

Prague, June 19 (CTK) - The Czech opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) would rule with neither the Public Affairs nor Communists (KSCM) if it were to form a government after the next general election, its chairman Bohuslav Sobotka said in Questions of Vaclav Moravec on Czech Television (CT) Sunday.

He said the CSSD would prefer coalition cooperation or a minority government with support of other partners than the VV and KSCM.

Sobotka said the CSSD will strive for the election term of the current centre-right government to be as short as possible.

The government that comprises the Civic Democrats, TOP 09 and the VV emerged from the May 2010 general election.

"It is not realistic that this political party (VV), or rather a private firm got to the Chamber of Deputies after the next elections. The CSSD does not count with any strategic cooperation with this mafia-like and favouritism-based structure," Sobotka said.

He added that the CSSD is considering other partners, but he did not elaborate.

Asked whether the CSSD wants to cooperate with the KSCM with which the CSSD would put up a three-fifth constitutional majority in the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies according to the latest opinion polls, Sobotka said he would not like this.

He conceded that the CSSD would also have to do reforms if it returned to government, but added that it would be doing socially-acceptable reforms.

The CSSD is strongly critical of the government-prepared reforms of the pension, healthcare, welfare and tax reforms. It says they are socially-insensitive.

"If I look at the current KSCM programme, it does not fill me with any great hope, so I would prefer another form of coalition cooperation or na agreement on the basis of a minority government," he said.

Sobotka said the current government leads the country nowhere and that it dramatically hinders the whole of the Czech Republic.

Sobotka said his party is ready to again provoke a vote of no confidence in the government as soon as it sees any "cracks" in the government coalition's cohesion.

Sobotka said the CSSD will do the same if the government tries to limit employees' right to strike.

The CSSD came out against any attempts to restrict the right to strike after the Saturday meeting of its executive committee.

Necas said before the strike the government will accelerate work on a new bill modifying the right to strike.

He said, for instance, citizens are not sufficiently protected against a witting harming of the rights of other persons during union-organised blockades, and that Czech legislation defines the right to strike too liberally.

Sobotka said the right to strike is one of the most important freedoms acquired after the fall of the previous regime in 1989.

"We will be fighting for it to be preserved for citizens," he said.

The strike was launched in protest against the prepared government reforms of the pension, healthcare, welfare and tax systems.