Zeman new president of Czech Republic

New Czech President Zeman pleading for early elections

Prague - Early elections should be held as soon as possible in the Czech Republic, president-elect Milos Zeman told Czech Television (CT) today.

Zeman said the centre-right government relied on the LIDEM party that was never elected by anyone.

Zeman said this was his civic view he would not hide as the president.

"In fact, this is not any government arisen from free elections because at least LIDEM was not elected by anyone in free elections," said Zeman, who was elected by 54.8 percent of voters today.

Zeman said if the government was only kept afloat by a party that was not elected by anyone, only formed by renegades from Public Affairs (VV), early elections would be right.

Zeman said early elections would only by a salvation for Prime Minister Petr Necas's government.

Necas's government includes his Civic Democratic Party (ODS), TOP 09 and LIDEM. The latter is a splinter group from the VV that went into opposition.

Every president must respect the government that arises from early elections, Zeman said.

Along with LIDEM, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Karolina Peake, Zeman stressed that the post of Culture Minister was filled by the Mayors and Independents Movement (STAN), an ally of TOP 09, chaired by his rival Karel Schwarzenberg.