The planned €6bn tender to choose a supplier for a new nuclear unit at the Dukovany nuclear power station will probably go ahead without a Chinese bidder, the Czech government and leaders of the opposition parties agreed on 27 January.

According to trade and industry minister Karel Havlicek, China is an “unimaginable” main supplier for all political parties.

At the same time, he said, the parties are divided about proposals by some politicians to exclude Russia from the tender.

“We have come closer on one issue, we nearly all agree that China at this point is not realistic, now the discussion is whether to allow Russia in some form or not,” Mr Havlicek said after a meeting of party leaders on Wednesday.