Czech Prime Minister resigns

Czech President Vaclav Klaus accepted the resignation, required by law of caretaker Prime Minister Jan Fischer on Friday.  However the latter was asked to stay until a new cabinet takes power following a May election.

Fishcer was appointed prime minister in May 2009 after a previous centre-right cabinet collapsed halfway through the country’s stint at the EU’s presidency

The resignation announcement was made after the opening session of the new lower house this week and allows the Czech President to appoint a new prime minister. 

Reuters report that chances are that it will almost certainly be right-wing Civic Democrat Petr Necas who is leading coalition talks with two other centre-right parties.

Necas says that he wants a deal by early July so a new government can prepare a cost-cutting budget for 2011.