PRAGUE, Czech Republic, April 20 (UPI) -- The Czech Republic's prime minister designate, Jiri Paroubek, said Wednesday he hoped to be able to form a new government by Thursday.
On Tuesday, the three parties in the Social Democrat led coalition forged a last minute deal to save the government from the prospect of early elections.
Paroubek emerged as a compromise candidate to succeed Prime Minister Stanislav Gross, whose position became untenable following a scandal over the financing of his luxury apartment in Prague.
Gross maintains he did nothing wrong, but stepped aside in any case to allow the coalition to continue functioning.
Paroubek was regional development minister in Gross's cabinet.
The plan to form a new government will need approval from the Social Democrat Party and, then, must be approved by a vote of confidence in Parliament.
