Prague - Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer today handed his caretaker cabinet´s resignation to President Vaclav Klaus who accepted it and asked the cabinet to continue working in resignation until a new government is established
Klaus and Fischer agreed that the cabinet successfully managed its tasks, which Fischer said he ascribed to its good communication with the Presidential Office and other state bodies.
The cabinet approved its resignation earlier this morning, in the wake of the new Chamber of Deputies´ constituent session.
After a short meeting with Klaus, Fischer told journalists that his cabinet will not make important decisions any more.
He said he is looking forward to a new cabinet being established. "This will be the real end [of the outgoing cabinet´s work], followed by real relaxation," Fischer said.
Although the Social Democrats (CSSD) won the May 28-29 elections, a centre-right government is being formed by the election runner-up Civic Democratic Party (ODS) along with TOP 09 and Public Affairs (VV). ODS chairman and probable next PM Petr Necas wants the cabinet to be established by mid-July.
Fischer´s cabinet of unaffiliated experts was established on May 8, 2009 as a way out of the government crisis, after its predecessor, the centre-right cabinet of Mirek Topolanek, was toppled by the lower house´s no-confidence vote.
The Fischer cabinet was expected to govern until early elections scheduled for October 2009, which, however, were cancelled on the basis of a Constitutional Court decision, and the cabinet continued ruling until after the regular elections this May.
The new Chamber of Deputies held its constituent session this week. On Tuesday the Chamber members took their oath as deputies. On Thursday they elected the Chamber leadership and ended the session in order to enable the cabinet´s resignation.
Fischer is to take up the post of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) vice-president as of September.
Fischer´s caretaker cabinet successfully completed the Czech EU presidency in the spring of 2009.
It was Fischer whom U.S. President Barack Obama last September told that the USA had dropped its plan to build a missile defence radar installation on Czech soil.
The Fischer government nominated Stefan Fuele, then minister for EU affairs, as the new Czech EU commissioner.
On the lower house soil, the cabinet pushed through the 2010 budget bill and a related package of austerity measures.
The Fischer cabinet, that will operate in resignation until the new cabinet is established, will hold its next regular meeting on Monday.
