Tsjechische regering polst nieuwe kandidaten voor eurocommissariaat (en)

The Czech ruling coalition is set to start talks on a new candidate to the European Commission after the resignation of its former nominee, Milos Kuzvart.

A long list of potential appointees has emerged over the weekend, with former chief negotiator and currrent Czech ambassador to the EU, Pavel Telicka, deputy Foreign Minister Jan Kohout or ambassador to the Council of Europe Vlasta Sebova.

The new man or woman should be announced by the end of this week, according to Zdenek Skromach, the deputy chairman of the ruling Social democrats (CSSD), quoted by the Czech press agency (CTK).

Mr Skromach said that the new candidate has to have experience with international politics and the EU, knowledge of foreign languages and be resilient, as "it is no walk through a rosy garden to be the European commissioner".

Mr Skromach also suggested that his party colleague Milos Kuzvart should consider leaving the Czech parliament after the debacle caused by his resignation, CTK reported.

Shame and fury

The unexpected resignation of the Czech commissioner after just two days was followed by an angry backlash on the domestic scene.

"The event will harm the Czech Republic and weaken our position in the EU", President Vaclav Klaus stated, according to the daily Lidove noviny.

The main opposition Civic democratic party (ODS) said the Social democrats were responsible for the situation as they had been pushing through the candidate without broader political support.

Even before his resignation, the ODS claimed that it would not support Mr Kuzvart to remain as Czech commissioner in November when the new Commission was appointed.

Lack of support or of English?

Two minor coalition parties also opposed Mr Kuzvart's nomination and said minimal cooperation from the Foreign Ministry and its chief, Cyril Svoboda (KDU-CSL) was the reason for his departure.

"Some of the Minister's statements concerning my nomination were damaging the Czech Republic as a whole, and that I can't accept", CTK quoted Mr Kuzvart as saying.

However, the Czech daily MF Dnes reported one high-ranking diplomat source as claiming that the real reason was Mr Kuzvart's poor English and confidence.

Mr Kuzvart had been set to shadow Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne.