Czech republic embraces new cabinet

The Czech Republic embraced Tuesday a new center-right cabinet headed by Prime Minister Petr Necas after the nation had been ruled by a caretaker government since the last coalition government lost a confidence vote in March 2009.

In a ceremony Tuesday, Czech President Vaclav Klaus urged the new government to make reforms.

Necas, leader of the Civic Democrats, has pledged to cut the budget gap, from 5.9 percent of GDP last year to 3 percent by 2013.

The coalition government comprises three parties -- the conservative TOP09 party, the centrist Public Affairs party and the Civic Democrats. They signed a coalition agreement on Monday.

The new coalition enjoys a comfortable majority of 118 seats among 200 members of the parliament's Chamber of Deputies.

Source: Xinhua