Dismissed justice minister mulls leading ODS in regional polls

Prague/Plzen, West Bohemia, June 28 (CTK) - Jiri Pospisil (Civic Democrats, ODS), who was dismissed as Czech justice minister on Wednesday, yesterday said he will seriously consider the offer for him to lead the ODS in the autumn regional elections in the Plzen region.

Pospisil told CTK that he has always been fond of regional politics.

The ODS's present number one candidate in the Plzen region, Marcela Krejsova, said she is ready to leave the position to Pospisil. As the election leader he cannot but benefit the ODS, she said.

Among the widely criticised government politicians, Pospisil ranks among the relatively most popular. His sudden dismissal raised the protests of the opposition, experts, some media and part of the public on Wednesday.

"If the idea is espoused by the regional council and supported by the [ODS regional branch] members, I'm ready to help the Plzen ODS, accept the post [of election leader] and work hard on the autumn campaign," Pospisil said.

He said the elections will be tough battle, as the position of the ODS, the senior governing party, is not optimal.

"This is no striving for a high post [on my part] but for the best possible result of the ODS," Pospisil emphasised, referring to readiness to become the regional election leader.

He said he feels "moved" by the reaction of people and of Plzen ODS members to his fresh dismissal on Prime Minister Petr Necas's (ODS) request.

"They view it as - I wouldn't call it a mean trick but a radical step targeting not only me but also the whole region," said Pospisil, ODS deputy chairman whose home party branch is in Plzen.

Krejsova said the regional branch previously considered choosing Posisil as its election leader, but Necas, who is ODS chairman, then said ministers must not figure as regional election leaders.

When having Pospisil sacked by President Vaclav Klaus on Wednesday, Necas cited Pospisil's alleged failure to manage the justice sector, financially and otherwise.

The media, experts and the opposition challenged Necas's explanation and indicated that Pospisil might have had to go because he planned to fill the post of high state attorney in Prague with Lenka Bradacova, a popular attorney widely praised for her anti-corruption crusade.

Some observers say Necas probably bowed to "Godfathers" who "control" the ODS and are opposed to Bradacova's appointment.

Necas insists that he did not know about Pospisil's plan to appoint Bradacova when he decided to sack him.

Roman Jurecko, Plzen ODS's influential deputy chairman close to Pospisil, yesterday said all people whom he has talked to feel dissatisfied with Necas's explanation.

Jurecko said the Plzen ODS's regional conference has to meet in early July to confirm Pospisil's election leadership. The branch should invite Necas to come to the conference to explain his step.

"I'd like to trust my [party] chairman," Jurecko said.