The Czech centre-right governing coalition parties agreed late on Tuesday that a new government would be installed during the country's Presidency of the EU.

The current Cabinet was toppled last week in a no-confidence vote mid-way through the Czech leadership of the EU, which runs to June 30.

Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said the current Cabinet would "definitely work throughout April" and then be replaced by a temporary government that would lead the country until early elections scheduled for mid-October.

The new 16-member Cabinet will consist of eight experts appointed by the three coalition parties and eight proposed by the senior opposition Social Democrats who initiated the no-confidence vote that toppled the Cabinet on Tuesday.

"It seems we are able to agree on a functioning Cabinet and its basic programme by the end of this week, including Saturday or Sunday," Social Democrat chief Jiri Paroubek said on Czech TV.

"I believe we will be able to agree on the people too," he added.

Mr Paroubek added the Cabinet ministers would include experts on foreign policy and some career diplomats who would steer the country through the rest of the EU Presidency.

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