CeskeNoviny: Prague - The Czech government TOP 09 will have to find a new leader, and also some ethos and sense of its existence for the next general election, Jindrich Sidlo writes in daily Hospodarske noviny today.

The party´s success in the first elections it took part in two years ago was based on the undoubtable political adroitness of Miroslav Kalousek and the integrity of Karel Schwarzenberg, and also on people´s disgust with big parties, Sidlo wrties.

Voters were then ready to overlook all dark sides of Kalousek´s personality because they were covered with Schwarzenberg´s shining star, Sidlo writes.

Now, Kalousek sometimes behaves like a madman and Schwarzenberg sometimes makes a statement which his voters would not have probably forgiven him even in the happy spring of 2010 (when the elections were held), Sidlo writes.

The Czech government is defending itself after every trouble, such as the ABL security agency and Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek´s phone calls to police investigators, saying it is doing reforms, Petr Sabata writes elsewhere in Hospodarske noviny.

This excuse will not stand the test even after Friday when the government passed another package of changes, Sabata writes.

He says the disgust with politics has already palpable anti-reform impacts. it co-creates negative economic expectations, lowers household consumption and so suppresses growth.

With regard for the political result of the tension between the reforms and the well-deserved deep mistrust of Prime Minister Petr Necas´s government, it would be worthwhile to look at the neighbouring Slovakia, Sabata writes.

The former right-wing government of Mikulas Dzurinda, based on Christian and civic democrats, was telling lies, stealing (in citizens´ eyes) and doing reforms so long until the whole right turned into dust, Sabata writes.

Churches are not perfect institutions, people may have objections to them, may criticise them on the basis of historical experience, there are many reasons for this, but they cannot be denied what they are entitled to, Ludek Navara writes in Mlada fronta Dnes.

He comments on the passing of the bill on return of property to churches on Friday.

After all, the churches will not get everything they had one time. It is usually so. It is not possible to rectify all the wrongs that the previous regime did because there were too many of them, Navara writes.

He writes that many people are still convinced that the above bill only provides for the return of property and money to churches.

But they do not have any idea of how much the state treasury will save because the state will not have to pay the salaries of the clergy like now, Navara writes.

 

Czech opposition CSSD wants no-confidence vote over Kalousek

Prague - The Czech opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) will initiate another no-confidence vote in the government of Petr Necas (Civic Democrats, ODS) over Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek´s (TOP 09) affair linked to the CASA planes purchase, CSSD head Bohuslav Sobotka said today.

He said there is no other possibility of pressing for Kalousek´s dismissal.

On Wednesday, the Chamber of Deputies released former defence minister Vlasta Parkanova (TOP 09) for prosecution over the purchase of the CASAs that was allegedly overpriced by 658 million crowns.

Kalousek called the investigator of the case and Police President Petr Lessy in connection with the case.

"I consider Minister Kalousek´s behaviour unacceptable," Sobotka said, adding that Kalousek should immediately leave the government.

Sobotka said Necas has not reacted to the calls by the opposition and Chamber of Deputies security committee that Kalousek be dismissed.

The committee approved the call by the votes of the opposition today. Deputies for the government coalition parties walked out before the vote was taken.

The CSSD wants to hand the request for the convocation of an extraordinary session to Chamber of Deputies chairwoman Miroslava Nemcova (ODS) today and it hopes the session will be held as soon as possible.

The CSSD speaks about Tuesday or Wednesday next week.

This will be a fourth attempt to topple the government in the current election term (2010-14). None of the three votes taken as yet has been successful.

The opposition does not have the required 101 votes in the 200-mandate Chamber of Deputies to topple the government.