Prague - Czech President Vaclav Klaus is to appoint Czech Statistics Office head Jan Fischer as the country's new premier on Thursday, the president's office said.

Fischer, who will be forming a caretaker technocrat cabinet, will take over from outgoing Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek only after the president appoints the entire government.

Fischer's appointment is the result of a deal forged by the biggest Czech political parties, Topolanek's Civic Democrats and his opposition rivals, the Social Democrats of Jiri Paroubek.

The parties want Klaus to install the Fischer-led interim government on May 9. Under the deal, the new cabinet will bring the country to the snap polls to be held before October 15.

Topolanek's cabinet resigned two days after losing a vote of no- confidence in parliament on March 24, a result of long-standing domestic squabbles. His cabinet has since governed in a caretaker capacity. (dpa)