(ANSA-AFP) - PRAGUE, NOV 29 - Right-winger Petr Fiala was named the Czech Republic's new prime minister on Sunday in an unusual ceremony, with wheelchair-bound President Milos Zeman speaking from behind a plastic barrier because he has Covid-19.

Fiala, a bearded, bespectacled former political scientist, will face the urgent task of grappling with one of the world's highest Covid infection rates including a case of the new Omicron variant. "I am convinced we will soon have a strong and stable government," Fiala said at the ceremony. Zeman said he aimed to wrap up meetings with possible ministers by December 13 "and we can then prepare the appointment of the government".

Fiala teamed up his Civic Democratic Party with two smaller parties to form the Together alliance which came first in last month's general election. The grouping, which includes the centrist Christian Democrats and the centre-right TOP 09 parties, narrowly beat the ANO movement of outgoing populist billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis. (ANSA-AFP).