Mirek Topolánek
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| Mirek Topolánek | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 16 August 2006 |
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| President | Václav Klaus |
| Preceded by | Jiří Paroubek |
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Deputy Speaker of Senate
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| In office 2002 – 2004 |
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| In office 1996 – 2004 |
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| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Liana Janáčková |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Václav Klaus |
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| Born | May 15, 1956 Vsetín, Czechoslovakia |
| Political party | ODS |
| Spouse | Pavla Topolánková |
Mirek Topolánek (pronounced [ˈmɪrɛk ˈtopolaːnɛk]) (born May 15, 1956 in Vsetín, Czechoslovakia, now Czech Republic) is the current prime minister of Czech Republic, from Civic Democratic Party. He has been chairman of the right-wing neoliberalist Civic Democratic Party since November 2002, succeeding Václav Klaus, the current President of the Czech Republic.
[edit] Biography
Mirek Topolánek attended a military high school in Opava, where he became a Socialistic Union of Youth (SSM) member which he claimed to be semi-obligatory for future officers.[1] He attended Brno University of Technology where he received an Ing. degree in mechanical engineering. He became member of Civic Forum in 1989, and has been member of the Civic Democratic Party since 1994. Topolánek co-founded VAE Ltd. in 1991 and was member of VAE Inc. direction from 1996 to 2003.
Topolánek was a member of the Senate from 1996 to 2004 and its deputy chairman from 2002 to 2004. Since June 2006 he has been a member of the Chamber of Deputies. He was appointed prime minister by Václav Klaus on August 16, 2006 and introduced a unicoulour government (9 members of the Civic Democratic Party and 6 independents). This government (Topolánek I) failed to gain confidence in the Chamber of Deputies, but he continued to be caretaker Prime minister until January 9, 2007, when his second cabinet (Topolánek II) was appointed. He put together a center-right coalition government with the Green Party and Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party. It finally gained confidence on January 19, 2007 (230 days after the elections), thanks to two social democratic deputies who abstained, thus effectively choosing a right-wing government rather than the unstable situation ongoing since the June 2006 elections. For more details see Mirek Topolánek's Second Cabinet.
On February 2, 2007, he attracted attention to his behaviour when he gave the finger [2]in front of the plenum of Chamber of Deputies, which he later explained as friendly gesture aimed at minister Miroslav Kalousek. "You are number one!" [3]
Legally, his wife is Pavla Topolánková, but they have been separated since December 2006[4] and Topolánek is now temporarily living with his mistress, vice-chairman of Chamber of Deputies, Lucie Talmanová. Some tabloid journals have reported that she is expecting a baby, which Talmanová has allegedly admitted to respected news sources, but she refused to name the father.[5] On July 25, 2007 Topolánek admitted paternity of Talmanová's son Nicolas, and claimed his wish to divorce his wife Pavla, who still hasn't agreed with divorce. [6]
Topolánek also faces questions about his tenure on the board of engineering company VAE, now under investigation over whether a Kč 16 million (€ 563,000) from První městská banka was improperly secured; whether there was a lien on Topolánek’s VAE shares when he sold them, which is illegal; and what arrangement VAE made with the company that bought the debt, Eltodo, which former ODS Prague Mayor Jan Koukal joined after leaving office.[7]
His most recent affair is connected with possible building of American radar base in Brdy hills. Firstly, he was inappropriately cynical in his answer considering health consequences of citizens in the surrounding; later, in Parliament, he denied his reply.[8]
Topolánek's government survived a vote of no-confidence on December 5, 2007, with 101 votes supporting the government and 97 votes against it.[9]
[edit] References
- ^ (Czech) Interview with Topolánek with info about his SSM membership
- ^ (Czech) http://www.blesk.cz/Clanek69122.htm
- ^ (Czech) http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/sluzby/index_view.php?id=235638
- ^ (Czech) http://www.novinky.cz/domaci/topolanek-priznal--ze-bydli-s-talmanovou_105768_okktc.html
- ^ (Czech) http://www.novinky.cz/domaci/talmanova-potvrdila-sve-tehotenstvi_105834_nf6fa.html
- ^ (Czech) http://www.novinky.cz/domaci/topolanek-se-chce-rozvest--souhlas-manzelky-zatim-nema_119573_gbpb8.html
- ^ (English)http://www.blisty.cz/2006/9/18/art30340.html
- ^ (English) http://www.blisty.cz/2007/7/31/art35535.html
- ^ Markéta Fišerová, "Czech Cabinet Wins No-Confidence Vote as Coalition Stays Intact", Bloomberg.com, December 5, 2007.
[edit] External links
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