Zeman against SPOZ party entering government

Prague, March 21 (CTK) - Czech President Milos Zeman will wish the Party of Citizens' Rights of Milos Zeman (SPOZ) at its Saturday congress that it should not follow the "disasters" of small parties and should not try to be in the government, Zeman told journalists Thursday.

Zeman said the SPOZ should be a "critical partner of the election winner."

According to the latest polls, the extra-parliamentary SPOZ, founded in 2009, may gain some 6-7 mandates in the 200-member Chamber of Deputies.

Last week, Zeman wished victory in the general elections scheduled for mid-2014 to the opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) for which he was prime minister in 1998-2002, but he later left it.

He said the CSSD should rule alone in a minority government.

Zeman said the SPOZ should not want to be a part of the government as this had been tried by other small parties such as the Public Affairs (VV), LIDEM, the Greens, the Freedom Union, the Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA) and the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL).

"There is the rule that every small party that broke into the government either ceased to exist or failed to re-enter the Chamber of Deputies shortly after this," Zeman said.

Zeman said when elected president in January, he had gained 55 percent of votes.

The CSSD is now leading the polls with about 25 percent, he added.

"This means that there is a 'tiny' reserve of some 30 percent. I will say at the SPOZ congress I firmly hope that the party will use the reserve," Zeman said.

The SPOZ will hold its fourth congress on Saturday.

As party leader Vratislav Mynar became the new head of Zeman's office, he will not seek re-election.