Švejnar says he will not seek Czech presidency

Prague, Sept 11 (CTK) - Economist Jan Svejnar, 59, who has been a favourite of the forthcoming Czech direct presidential election according to public opinion polls, said in a press release Tuesday he will not seek presidency and he wants to continue his academic and consultancy activities.

Svejnar ran unsuccessfully already in the 2008 presidential election when the head of state was chosen by the two houses of parliament.

He lost tightly to Vaclav Klaus who was re-elected for a second term amid backstage bargaining.

The first direct presidential election will be held early next year when the second term of incumbent President Vaclav Klaus expires.

Svejnar made his announcement Tuesday after several months of hesitation.

"In reaction to many questions I say that I have decided not to take part in this election of the president of the Czech Republic," Svejnar wrote in a brief press release.

He wrote, however, that he wants to continue participating in the country's public life and do his work at Charles University in Prague, the National Economic Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences and on the boards of firms and NGOs.

Svejnar is also director of the prestigious Centre for Global Economic Governance at Columbia University in New York.

The opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) were considering nominating Svejnar their election candidate this time, but Svejnar said in May he would be an unaffiliated candidate if he decided to run in the election.

The biggest favourite of the election is former caretaker prime minister Jan Fischer, followed by former Social Democrat prime minister Milos Zeman.

Some 20 people have announced their intention to seek presidency. The candidates need support of MPs, or gather 50,000 citizens' signatures. Five of them, including Fischer and Zeman, have already fulfilled this condition.