Archive: Domestic affairs | Politics Politics
David Rath is PM's choice to become new health minister
Eight days after the firing of Milada Emmerova as health minister, the
Czech government now has a successor in David Rath, the head of the
professional body of Czech doctors. He could become the 12th health
minister since 1989 - and would face as tall an order as any: reforming a
health sector in financial straits and doing so in record time. More
Paroubek searches for replacement for Martin Jahn
Social Democrat Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek continues to search for a
replacement for outgoing deputy prime minister Martin Jahn, who announced
his departure from politics on Monday. Prime Minister Paroubek wanted the
popular, unaffiliated Mr Jahn to stand in Prague at next year's general
election. One name being bandied about is that of Pavel Telicka, the
former EU commissioner.
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Health Minister Emmerova sacked as PM tries to "stabilise" health care system
Health Minister Milada Emmerova was sacked on Wednesday as the government
struggled to defuse an ongoing crisis in the Czech health care system. Her
removal comes a week after thousands of doctors held a one-day strike in
protest at delays in payments from health insurance companies.
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Prime Minister agrees to Unipetrol probe but on his own terms
The scandal over the privatization of the petrochemicals firm Unipetrol,
following accusations of corruption directed at the ruling Social
Democrats, has taken an unexpected turn. After firmly rejecting calls for
a probe into the privatization process, some of which came from his own
coalition partners the Christian Democrats, Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek
suddenly changed his mind. An investigation will take place and it will
most likely take place on the Prime Minister's own terms.
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Are Czechs warming up to the Communists?
If elections were held today, opinion polls suggest, voters' support would
be almost equally divided between the left and the right side of the
political spectrum. Most leftist voters support the ruling Social
Democrats. The Communist Party also enjoys enough public support to be
represented in parliament - currently with the third largest number of
seats. But the Communists stand alone, as all other parties have vowed not
to cooperate with them. Results of an opinion poll commissioned by Czech
Television suggest that more and more Czechs are warming to the Communists
and four out of ten would actually not be against them taking a bigger part
in the decision-making process.
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The Green Party wants to play a bigger role in Czech politics
Somewhat in the shadow of high politics, the Czech Green Party elected a
new leader over the weekend and made bold plans for the future. Although
the party has never attracted enough voters to be able to enter the Lower
House of Parliament and has just one seat in the Senate, its new leader,
former environment minister Martin Bursik, feels that the time is now ripe
for the Greens to play a bigger role in Czech politics.
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Prime Minister tells the Christian Democrats to play ball or leave the Cabinet
Although general elections in the Czech Republic are eight months away,
this weekend marked the beginning of what commentators predict will be a
tough election campaign. The impulse came from the ruling Social
Democratic Party which held a meeting of its leadership over the weekend.
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Former PM Stanislav Gross bows out of politics
One of the political developments over the weekend was the decision by the
chairman of the Social Democrats and former prime minister Stanislav Gross
to step down. Mr Gross made the announcement at the party leadership
meeting on Saturday where he also said he was not even going to run for a
parliament seat in next year's general election.
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