Media reports say ministerial team almost completed

Czech media reported on Friday that the new Prime Minister Jan Fischer has almost assembled his cabinet. The daily Mladá fronta Dnes said 11 positions have been filled with only four still in question. In many cases, the new cabinet members will be deputy ministers already serving in the ministry. Newspapers report that the head of the competition office Martin Pecina is one of the outside experts being brought in. He is tipped to take over at the Ministry of Interior. Outgoing Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek told Czech Radio on Thursday that the former Czech EU ambassador Jan Kohout would be heading the Foreign Ministry. He is now serving as a deputy foreign minister responsible for development, consular and visa affairs and international and community law. Jan Fischer’s caretaker cabinet is to have 16 ministerial posts. It is due to take over on May 9th and lead the country until early elections in October.