Voice of America, 97-11-30

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From: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>

CONTENTS

[01] CZECH P.M. RESIGNATION BY ALENA KENCLOVA (PRAGUE)

[02] CZECH POL (L) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)

[01] CZECH P.M. RESIGNATION BY ALENA KENCLOVA (PRAGUE)

INTRO: CZECH PRIME MINISTER VACLAV KLAUS HAS ANNOUNCED HIS GOVERNMENT WILL RESIGN. VOA'S ALENA KENCLOVA HAS THE DETAILS FROM PRAGUE.

TEXT: THE PRIME MINISTER RESPONDED EARLY SUNDAY TO CALLS BY PRESIDENT VACLAV HAVEL FOR THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENT TO STEP DOWN AFTER TWO JUNIOR COALITION PARTNERS SAID THEY WERE QUITTING ON SATURDAY. MR. KLAUS SAID HE WOULD NOT SEEK ANY PLACE IN A NEW GOVERNMENT.

MR KLAUS HAS COME UNDER REPEATED PRESSURE TO RESIGN SINCE HIS CIVIC DEMOCRATIC PARTY LOST THE DOMINANT POSITION IN CZECH POLITICS IN GENERAL ELECTIONS IN THE SUMMER OF 1996. SUSPICIONS OF IMPROPRIETIES IN PARTY FINANCING PROMPTED CALLS FOR HIS RESIGNATION WITHIN HIS OWN PARTY IN THE LAST FEW DAYS.

THE OUTGOING PRIME MINISTER SPOKE TO JOURNALISTS AFTER ELEVEN HOURS OF DELIBERATIONS WITH HIS COLLEAGUES IN THE CIVIC DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADERSHIP. HE WAS NOT SURE WHETHER HE WOULD SEEK RE-ELECTION AS CHAIRMAN OF THE PARTY AT ITS CONGRESS TO BE CALLED WITHIN TWO WEEKS.

MR. KLAUS ANNOUNCED HE AND PARTY VICE-CHAIRMAN AND FINANCE MINISTER IVAN PILIP WOULD NEGOTIATE WITH THE OTHER COALITION PARTIES TO TRY TO FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT. PRESIDENT HAVEL INVITED THE PARTY LEADERS FOR THE FIRST ROUND OF TALKS LATER TODAY (SUNDAY). (SIGNED)
NEB/AK/SD
29-Nov-97 8:28 PM EST (0128 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] CZECH POL (L) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)

INTRO: THE CZECH REPUBLIC'S GOVERNMENT CRISIS HAS MOVED INTO A HOLDING PATTERN AS PRESIDENT VACLAV HAVEL ACCEPTS THE RESIGNATION OF THE GOVERNMENT HEADED BY PRIME MINISTER VACLAV KLAUS. BUT AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES IN PRAGUE, FURTHER TALKS ON A NEW GOVERNMENT ARE BEING PUT OFF UNTIL MID-DECEMBER.

TEXT: PRESIDENT HAVEL SAYS THE TWO-WEEK DELAY WILL GIVE MEMBERS OF MR. KLAUS' CIVIC DEMOCRATIC PARTY A CHANCE DECIDE WHETHER THEY STILL STAND BEHIND THEIR PRIME MINISTER. A PARTY CONGRESS IS SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 13TH AND 14TH.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT FOLLOWED TWO HOURS OF TALKS AT THE PRESIDENTIAL CHATEAU (IN LANY) OUTSIDE PRAGUE.

THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED TO STAY ON UNTIL A NEW GOVERNMENT IS FORMED. //OPT// DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER JOSEF LUX OF THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS SAID HE IS NOT VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE DELAY. AND AT LEAST ONE OPPOSITION PARTY (THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS) HAS CALLED FOR NEW ELECTIONS, BUT IT IS NOT AT ALL CLEAR THAT WILL BE NECESSARY. //END OPT//

PRESIDENT HAVEL DESCRIBED THE SITUATION AS SERIOUS, BUT SAID THERE IS NO NEED FOR CONCERN. ONLY EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE END OF COMMUNIST RULE HERE, DEMOCRACY IS FIRMLY ESTABLISHED AND THE CZECH GOVERNMENT CRISIS RESEMBLES SIMILAR EVENTS IN WESTERN EUROPE.

ALL THREE COALITION PARTNERS SAY THEY WANT A STABLE GOVERNMENT THAT WILL LAST UNTIL THE YEAR 2000 AND THAT WILL CONTINUE THE CZECH REPUBLIC'S NEGOTIATIONS ON JOINING NATO AND THE EUROPEAN UNION.

THE CRISIS WAS TRIGGERED BY A FUND-RAISING SCANDAL INVOLVING A DONATION TO MR. KLAUS' PARTY. THE CONTRIBUTION OF 230-THOUSAND DOLLARS (7.5 MILLION CROWNS) BY A BUSINESSMAN (MILAN SREJBER) WHO WON A BID FOR A STAKE IN A STEEL COMPANY CERTAINLY LOOKED SUSPICIOUS, THOUGH BOTH SIDES DENIED ANY CONNECTION. JUNIOR COALITION PARTNERS SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD LOST THE CONFIDENCE OF THE CZECH PEOPLE. (SIGNED)
NEB/ART/DW/MMK
30-Nov-97 1:56 PM EST (1856 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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