LN: President-elect, TOP 09 both interested in early polls

Prague, Jan 30 (CTK) - Czech President-Elect Milos Zeman and TOP 09, the party of his defeated rival Karel Schwarzenberg, are both interested in provoking early elections, Lenka Zlamalova writes in Lidove noviny yesterday in reaction to TOP 09's fresh demand that Prague join the EU's fiscal pact this year.

Prague did not join the pact in early 2012 when it was adopted by the EU because it was opposed by the senior ruling Civic Democrats (ODS). The Czech Republic and Britain were the only EU members not to join it, Zlamalova writes.

Schwarzenberg, foreign minister and head of the pro-EU junior ruling TOP 09, then threatened that TOP 09 will not stay in the cabinet unless it joins the fiscal compact. A year-long silence followed afterwards, Zlamalova writes.

Miroslav Kalousek, finance minister and TOP 09's mastermind, has now decided to use the popularity of Schwarzenberg and the euphoria his presidential candidacy aroused in a large part of the Czech society for TOP 09 to replace the ODS as the leader of the Czech right, Zlamalova writes.

Like Zeman, former socialist prime minister and a fierce critic of the present ODS-led government, TOP 09 also wants early elections to be held as quickly as possible. Unlike Zeman, however, TOP 09 cannot say it loud because voters usually punish the ruling party that sinks the cabinet and provokes elections, Zlamalova writes.

That is why TOP 09 needed to find a noble and credible reason [for the cabinet's collapse]. Kalousek has presented the need of Czech participation in the main stream of the European integration as such reason.

"We will not sign the new coalition agreement unless the Czech Republic joins the EU fiscal compact this year," Kalousek told TOP 09's government partners, the ODS and LIDEM, on Tuesday, Zlamalova writes.

In the EU, no one speaks of the fiscal compact any more. There are other issues on the agenda, including the bank union and a possible return of powers back to national states, as suggested by British Prime Minister David Cameron, Zlamalova continues.

Nevertheless, TOP 09 has resuscitated the fiscal compact debate on the Czech scene, while Kalousek has resolutely dismissed the aim of provoking early elections, Zlamalova writes.

Kalousek says TOP 09 has reopened the fiscal pact accession now that the Czech parliament is going to discuss the government-sponsored "financial constitution," a bill setting budget responsibility rules that are even tougher than the EU compact, Zlamalova writes.

Czech participation in the main stream of European integration is an issue the TOP 09 has always used to present itself as a pro-EU right-wing party and distinguish itself from the Eurosceptic ODS, Zlamalova writes.

Many in the ODS believe the fiscal compact is a mere pretext for TOP 09 to provoke early elections, reporter Jan Kalal writes elsewhere in Lidove noviny.

"It makes no sense to yield to Kalousek, because it will be him who will decide on early elections. After he decides to provoke them, he will do so," ODS senators' group head Jaroslav Kubera is quoted as saying.

"Kalousek has come to the conclusion that the optimal moment has come for TOP 09 to use Karel Schwarzenberg's marketing image to its benefit, and possibly to destroy the government coalition. I've received information that this is what he really plans," said Martin Kuba, industry minister and ODS first deputy chairman.

Schwarzenberg, nevertheless, assured Lidove noviny that TOP 09's latest initiative is not aimed to provoke early elections. He said TOP 09 would not leave the government if the fiscal pact accession were not embedded in the new coalition agreement. In such case, TOP 09 would simply leave the agreement unsigned, he said.