Jan Fischer named new Czech Prime Minister

Little-known economist Jan Fischer was named Czech Prime Minister on Thursday to shepherd the country through the rest of its troubled Presidency of the European Union and to early elections in October.

Mr Fischer, the non-partisan head of the Czech Statistical Office, will replace outgoing Premier Mirek Topolanek, whose centre-right coalition Cabinet was toppled last month midway through the Czech EU Presidency running to June 30.

"I am aware the situation is not easy, but I am convinced you will handle your role well and I'm ready to help you in this," President Vaclav Klaus told Mr Fischer after appointing him at a ceremony.

Under a political deal, Mr Topolanek will remain the head of government until May 8 while Mr Fischer puts together his team.

Fifthy-eight-year-old Mr Fischer said his main task was to put together a functioning team.

"It will not be a Cabinet of visions, it will be a cabinet of hard work," he said.

"This Cabinet will have to fulfil with honour all tasks stemming from the (EU) Presidency. It will also have to minimise the impact of the economic crisis on Czech population," he added.

Mr Fischer also said he had no further political ambitions and that he was going to his job at the statistics office once the mission is over.

The decision to appoint Mr Fischer follows weeks of talks between the three centre-right governing coalition parties and the senior opposition Social Democrats whose no-confidence vote toppled Mr Topolanek's Cabinet on March 24.

Mr Klaus on Thursday appreciated the quick resolution to the political crisis and the deal hammered out by the rival politicians who also agreed the coalition will propose eight cabinet members and the Social Democrats seven.

Under the deal, none of the current Cabinet ministers will keep their seats. Mr Topolanek will still be in charge of the Cabinet when Prague hosts an EU Eastern Partnership summit on May 7, but Mr Fischer will be at the helm for the bloc's next summit with China on May 20, also in the Czech capital.

Despite traditional rifts, the parties sought a quick agreement amid anxiety that the eurosceptic Mr Klaus may lose patience and propose a Cabinet of his own.

This would have given Mr Klaus increased power to block the EU's reforming Lisbon Treaty, which he fervently opposes and which the Czech Republic voted on only last month, the last EU member state to do so. In February, the lower house of the Czech Parliament approved the treaty, which is designed to streamline decision-making in the 27-member bloc, thanks to support from most of the ruling coalition and the Social Democrats.

The text now awaits a vote in the Senate scheduled for May 6 or 7. If approved, it has to be signed by Mr Klaus for the ratification to be completed.