Prague, Feb 27 (CTK) – Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka will meet outgoing Industry and Trade Ministry Jan Mladek (Social Democrats, CSSD) and his deputies on Wednesday, March 1, to temporarily take over the ministry from him, Sobotka told journalists after a cabinet meeting yesterday.
Mladek ends in his post on Tuesday, February 28. Last week, President Milos Zeman accepted Sobotka’s proposal to dismiss Mladek from the post.
After his last week’s talks with Zeman, Sobotka said he would propose a new industry minister to Zeman after the CSSD election congress that is due on March 10-11. He said he discussed the potential candidates with the president, but their discussion remained unfinished.
Sobotka said yesterday he would talk to the possible candidates in the next few days. He said he has launched negotiations with them.
Sobotka said Zeman entrusted him with heading the Industry Ministry from March 1 until the new minister is appointed. He said he wants to focus on the promotion of an amendment to the law on electronic communication, which was a point of controversy between him and Mladek.
Sobotka wants the amendment to reinforce the rights of consumers, increase the powers of the Czech Telecommunication Office (CTU), open the mobile operators’ market and decrease the mobile data tariffs.
State secretary for European affairs Tomas Prouza, current Deputy Industry Minister Jiri Havlicek and former industry minister Milan Urban (all CSSD) were mentioned as potential candidates for the ministerial post most often.
Mladek took part in the cabinet meeting for the last time yesterday.
kva/dr/rtj
