CZECH PRIME MINISTER MILOS ZEMAN ACCEPTS CONGRATULATIONS FROM VACLAV KLAUS IN PARLIAMENT, 1998-08-19 (photo)

Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman (R) accepts congratulations from the Chairman of Parliament Vaclav Klaus (L) after the new Czech Social Democratic government survived a confidence vote in Parliament August 19. The new Czech Social Democratic government, installed in July, won a constitutionally-required confidence vote in the lower house of parliament on Wednesday with help from the largest right-wing opposition party. Zeman's minority government, whose party controls only 74 seats in the 200-seat lower house, won after former Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus's Civic Democratic Party, as expected, stayed outside the chamber for the vote, giving the Social Democrats a simple majority of those present. PJ/JDP