Czech president to appoint Andrej Babis as PM-designate on Dec. 6

PRAGUE, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- After a meeting with Czech President Milos Zeman at Prague Castle on Tuesday, Andrej Babis said at a press conference that Zeman will appoint him as the prime minister-designate on December 6 and the new cabinet will be formed on December 13.

Babis said the new cabinet will have 15 seats, including himself. Nine ministers have never been members of a cabinet before and four women will be included.

Babis did not release the name of the ministers at the press conference, adding that at Zeman's request, the president wants to meet the ministerial candidates first. There would be no reservations about the list of candidates.

He said the ministers will be people who worked in their respective sectors,and that is why it will not take them long to acquaint themselves with the ministerial agenda.

Following the appointment of his government, Babis wants to negotiate with other parties on their support for or tolerance of it. He would not say for now whether he will ask for the confidence of Chamber of Deputies before the end of the year.

The Chamber of Deputies has to take a vote of confidence on the new government within 30 days following its appointment, and if Babis used the farthest deadline, the Chamber would take the vote on his cabinet shortly before the first round of the presidential election scheduled for January 12-13, 2018. Enditem