Fiala rejects criticism of TV speech just before elections

Prime Minister Petr Fiala has rejected opposition criticism that he is due to make a special televized address to the nation on Sunday evening, less than a week before municipal and Senate elections. He said on Saturday that the reason he was giving the speech was that the government had this week approved measures aimed at helping households and businesses cope with soaring power prices.

Opposition leader Andrej Babiš of ANO said Mr. Fiala was a coward for avoiding a TV debate with him. However, the PM said he could not make the discussion as he was flying to London for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.