UPDATE 1-Czech dep finmin tapped to become finance minister

                                
 * Deputy Finance Minister Janota nominated to head ministry
                                
 * Nomination could clear hurdle in forming new government
                                
 * Janota is specialist in budget, debt issues
                                
 
                                
 (Adds background)
                                
 PRAGUE, May 5 (Reuters) - Ousted Czech Prime Minister Mirek
Topolanek has suggested budget expert Eduard Janota should head
the Finance Ministry in the latest attempt to end a crisis that
has undermined the country's stint as European Union presidents.
                                
 It is the third effort by Topolanek, who was ousted after
losing a March confidence vote, at naming someone to fill the
post in a caretaker government. The country's export-driven 
economy has been hard hit by the global economic crisis.
                                
 The finance ministry has been a main point of contention
between the main Czech political parties, who are trying to form
an interim government under Prime Minister designate Jan Fischer
to lead the country to early elections in October.
                                
 Janota is a respected 31-year veteran at the Finance
Ministry and is deputy finance minister in charge of drawing up
budgets and managing state finances.
                                
 "Deputy Finance Minister Eduard Janota will be the finance
minister in the government of Jan Fischer," Fischer's press
department said in a statement.
                                
 Fischer turned the tables on his political backers --
Topolanek and opposition Social Democrat leader Jiri Paroubek --
last week by proposing three names for his cabinet that went
against the recommendations of the biggest parties.
                                
 That forced Topolanek to look for another candidate. On
Monday, he tried to nominate sitting Finance Minister Miroslav
Kalousek to the job, but Paroubek struck down the idea as
unacceptable.
                                
 Topolanek had earlier said that Janota had rejected an offer
for the job, but pressure has been mounting over the state of
the Czech budget deficit, which is expected to triple this year
in the face of crisis-hit growth that has undercut revenues.
                                
 Data on Monday showed the budget deficit had already doubled
on an annual basis in April, exceeding the full-year plan. 
                                
 The overall fiscal gap looked set to reach 4.5-5 percent of
gross domestic product for the full year, far above euro
adoption threshold and last year's 1.5 percent of GDP.
                                
 President Vaclav Klaus is expected to appoint Fischer's team
on May 8, and the new government is expected to take power the
following day.
                                
(Reporting by Mirka Krufova; Editing by Michael Winfrey/Ruth
Pitchford)