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Chovanec: Sobotka could present concrete plan on division of ministries to Zeman on Thursday

The chairman of the Social Democrats, Bohuslav Sobotka, could present President Miloš Zeman with a concrete plan for the division of ministries in the government he is forming with ANO and the Christian Democrats at a meeting planned for Thursday. Speaking on a TV debate show on Sunday, the Social Democrats deputy chair Milan Chovanec said the proposal could include the names of ministerial candidates. Mr. Chovanec said Mr. Sobotka should get authorisation from the president to form a government before Christmas. Following the presentation of a coalition deal last week, the three parties are due to hold negotiations on the division of portfolios in the coming days.

Christian Democrats’ leadership give green light to coalition deal

The leadership of the smallest party in the nascent government, the Christian Democrats, have approved the coalition deal with the Social Democrats and ANO. However, disquiet remains in the party over the number and type of ministries it will receive. The Social Democrats have offered Christian Democrats two seats, which the latter’s leaders say is too few. Chairman Pavel Bělobrádek, who has just returned from an overseas trip, said on Sunday that the party would insist on being given control of the ministry of agriculture.

Former Czech foreign minister takes part in opposition protest in Ukraine

A former Czech minister of foreign affairs, Karel Schwarzenberg, took part in a demonstration in support of Ukraine’s pro-Western opposition on Kiev’s Independence Square on Saturday. Mr. Schwarzenberg, who currently chairs the Czech lower house’s foreign affairs committee, was quoted by a local news website as saying the demonstrators were showing the entire world their desire to forge closer ties with the European Union. Protests began in Ukraine after the government of President Viktor Yanukovych backed out of a trade deal with the EU last month, apparently under pressure from Russia. On Sunday the Czech EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele said the bloc was suspending talks with Kiev on the agreement.

Červíček says he never promised to stand down if Lessy was reinstated as police chief

Martin Červíček says he never promised Interior Minister Martin Pecina that he would stand down as police president if his predecessor Petr Lessy was reinstated, a situation that came about at the start of this month when a case against Mr. Lessy was thrown out by a court. Mr. Pecina insists Mr. Červíček made such a pledge. The latter said on a TV debate show on Sunday that if he was forced to resign he would resume his former position of deputy police president. Meanwhile, President Miloš Zeman said in a radio interview that a selection process should be held to decide which of the two men stays in the post, adding that he regarded Mr. Červíček as the legitimate police chief.

Zeman: Cabinet members now know whispering in Chamber doesn’t pay

President Miloš Zeman says Prime Minister Jiří Rusnok, Finance Minister Jan Fischer and Defence Minister Vlastimil Picek have learned that it doesn’t pay to whisper in the Chamber of Deputies, after a conversation among the three was picked up on microphones. Mr. Rusnok was left particularly embarrassed after using vulgar language in making clear he did not wish to attend a memorial service for Nelson Mandela. Mr. Zeman said in a radio interview on Sunday that he would have gone to South Africa to honour the country’s late president if he were not suffering from an injury to his leg.

Intensive investigation into deaths of police officer and mother in explosion

The Czech police’s internal affairs agency is carrying out an intensive investigation of the deaths of a police officer, 27, and his mother, 46, in the garage of their home in the village of Žerůtky in South Moravia on Saturday afternoon. Local people have told reporters that the policeman collected old munitions and that a grenade may have been the cause of the fatal explosion that killed the two. The police are refusing to release details and have neither confirmed nor denied this theory.

Baumrtová takes fourth medal at European Short Course Championship

The Czech swimmer Simona Baumrtová has taken four medals at the European Short Course Championships in Herning, Denmark. Baumrtová’s latest success was silver in the women’s 200m backstroke, which she achieved on Sunday in a new Czech record of 2:03:06. The 22-year-old had already taken gold in the 50m backstroke, silver in the 100m and bronze with the Czech team in the mixed medley relay.

Weather

It should be partly cloudy in the coming days, with temperatures of up to 4 degrees Celsius.