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Czech Government Collapses After Losing No-Confidence Vote

25 March 2009 09:29 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Lachin Sultanova-APA. The Czech government has collapsed after losing a non-confidence vote in parliament late Tuesday. The vote came after the center right government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek was criticized for the way it handled the economic crisis and for supporting a controversial American anti-missile defense system.
The lower house of the Czech Parliament voted 101 to 96 to declare no confidence in the coalition government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, after four lawmakers broke rank with their parties and voted with the opposition. Three legislators were absent from the vote.
It is the first time a government is ousted since the country came to existence, after the breakup of the former Czechoslovakia in 1993.
The vote was seen as a major setback for Mr. Topolanek as it came just days before a planned visit by United States President Barack Obama and midway through the rotation of the Czech Republic’s European Union presidency.
Prime Minister Topolanek told reporters that he could resign Thursday, after talks with European Union officials.