Czech PM Necas announces resignation

PRAGUE - Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democratic Party, ODS) will submit his resignation in connection with the detention of his closest aide Jana Nagyova on Monday, Necas announced after a meeting of the ODS board on Sunday.

Necas said he wanted the coalition government to continue with a prime minister nominated by the ODS. He said he would announce this to his fellow party members at the Monday meeting of the party broad leadership. He said he would be only looked for and he will also end as leader of the ODS.

"I am fully aware of the problems of my personal life burdening the political scene and the ODS at present," Necas said, "I have very attentively watched the whole development of the political situation that started on Wednesday."

"I am aware of the consequences for me. I want to stress that I am aware of my political responsibility. I draw the conclusions from it," he said.

Necas said by his decision to resign as prime minister and ODS leader on Monday, the planned vote on confidence in his government on Tuesday would be "irrelevant."

Senior officials of the ODS, TOP 09 and LIDEM are discussing the future of the coalition government at the moment.