Švejnar withholds candidacy for president

Prague, Feb 20 (CTK) - Liberal economist Jan Svejnar will announce his possible candidacy for Czech president only after the rules of the direct election are known, Svejnar said yesterday in a press release available to CTK.

Svejnar recently said he would announce his candidacy only after he wins official support from at least 50,000 Czech citizens.

A candidate may run for president if nominated by 50,000 people, or 20 lower house deputies or 10 senators.

The opposition Social Democrats (CSSD), who are the most popular party in the country, decided on Saturday that they will be choosing their candidate between Svejnar and Jiri Dienstbier, CSSD deputy chairman. The party is to make its final decision in May or early June.

The CSSD supported Svejnar in the last presidential election in 2008, when the president was picked by the two houses of parliament. Svejnar then lost to incumbent President Vaclav Klaus, who was supported by the right-wing MPs. The next president will be elected directly by people in January or February 2013.

Svejnar also said he would like other parties, too, to back his possible candidacy.

In 2008, he was also backed by the Greens, the then smallest coalition party, and some senators.

Svejnar, 59, was born in Prague but he has been based in the United States since his late teens.

Hospodarske noviny daily writes yesterday that Svejnar's reserved statements may be connected with his new post of head of a centre for global and economic policy at Columbia University in New York.