The government has problem pushing its projects through the Chamber of Deputies, but it still Czechs might partially pay for fillings, but later - minister ...
Czech Republic to send 100 special troops to Afghanistan ... makes sense to try to do so, Topolanek and Bursik told reporters. Apart from the ODS and the SZ, the centre-right government comprises the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) of Jiri Cunek. "Each of the coalition parties faces problems of its own, each seems to believe that it has failed to fulfil its election programme, and the [left-wing] opposition cunningly benefits from this," said Topolanek. The weakening of the government, along with the senior opposition Social Democrats' (CSSD) destructive policy, have resulted in the government's failure to push through some of its plans through the Chamber of Deputies, he said. "Of course.
everything that has been happening in the Chamber in recent weeks, possibly even months, is a spite and obstruction," Topolanek said. He said the Chamber of Deputies has also been paralysed as the CSSD uses its sessions to conduct its campaign ahead of the autumn regional elections. Another reason is the "relative weakness" of the governing coalition, he continued. "We will be tested this way. We have to keep patient, to make use of the lower house's order of procedure where it is possible, as the opposition does. Nevertheless, it is more and more difficult to debate things in the Chamber in such an atmosphere," Topolanek said. "Rebel" deputies opposing various government's bills have appeared among all three governing parties, the ODS, the KDU-CSL and the SZ. As a result, the coalition has lost its fragile majority of two votes it gained in early 2007 when it won over support of Milos Melcak and Michal Pohanka, two deputies elected for the CSSD. Most recently, the coalition has lost certain crucial votes in spite of Melcak and Pohanka voting along with it. Last week, the opposition, helped by three ODS rebels, again blocked the state-church property settlement bill. The ODS rebels' leader, MP Vlastimil Tlusty, has openly said he is in the state of a political war with Topolanek. Today, SZ deputies Olga Zubova and Vera Jakubkova supported CSSD MP David Rath's proposal preventing the government's plan to transform university hospital into business companies. The coalition, nonetheless, eventually closely rejected Rath's proposal, even without Zubova and Jakubkova's support. "This is unpleasant to me and I feel very sorry. If I wanted to discuss it more comprehensively, I'd probably tell myself: The two deputies have voiced no confidence in the prime minister, which is very close to their no confidence in the government," said Bursik, SZ chairman. He said he believes that Jakubkova and Zubova do not strive for the government to be toppled. "I try to view their position as aimed to prevent university hospitals' privatisation," he added. Bursik admitted that the coalition has been balancing on the edge for some time now. However, the coalition's success today to sweep off Rath's proposal, even without the votes of the SZ deputies, shows that it makes sense to continue battling for individual bills. True, there exists the risk of the government seeing its reform plans falling apart and gradually eroded by the opposition, but the coalition still has a chance to parry the opposition's threats, Bursik said.
(Ceske Noviny)
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