New Czech president to visit cabinet, Senate this week

Prague, March 18 (CTK) - New Czech President Milos Zeman will attend a cabinet meeting for the first time on Wednesday and he will pay a visit to the Senate on Thursday, the Presidential Office announced on its website Monday.

The cabinet meeting will begin at 16:00 on March 20, according to CTK's information. Zeman would arrive at 17:00.

Zeman was inaugurated on March 8. Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democrats, ODS) originally invited him to the meeting of the centre-right government held last Wednesday.

But Zeman met regional governors on the same day instead, nearly all members of left-wing opposition parties, mostly the Social Democrats (CSSD). Zeman headed a CSSD minority government in the past.

Zeman recently said he would attend cabinet meetings if key issues similar to the pension and tax reform or the church restitution are discussed.

On Thursday, Zeman will meet a regular plenary session of the Senate.

He already met Senate chairman Milan Stech (CSSD) after his inauguration. He said previously he would like to discuss candidates for new constitutional judges with the heads of all senatorial groups.

The term of seven judges of the 15-member US will expire this year. The court is lacking three members even now. If the number of US judges is lower than 12, the court stops checking bills and decrees.

Candidates for constitutional judges nominated by president are confirmed or rejected by the Senate. The CSSD senators now hold a majority in the upper house of parliament.