News

President Petr Pavel said that as head of state he would lead the Czech delegation to the NATO summit, not just be a member of the team as implied in the government’s statement. Mr. Pavel also told reporters that he himself would decide which events he would participate in during the summit.

The government failed to include President Pavel in the Czech delegation when it approved its composition on Monday, saying he had a different stand on the country’s defense policy than the government, which has executive powers.

In response, the president filed a constitutional competence lawsuit with the Constitutional Court which issued a preliminary injunction ordering the government to ensure Pavel’s participation in the summit while the dispute is being considered.

The opposition Mayors and Independents party (STAN) has called on Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) to dismiss Foreign Minister Petr Macinka (Motorists) over his comments describing recent constitutional developments as a “coup attempt”.

According to STAN, Macinka’s remarks devalue the Constitutional Court’s ruling concerning President Petr Pavel’s participation in the NATO summit in Ankara. STAN said such conduct from a member of the government is unacceptable and should not be tolerated.

The Chamber of Deputies has approved in its first reading a government bill tightening conditions for temporary protection granted to Ukrainian refugees.

Under the proposal, temporary protection holders applying for humanitarian benefits would be required to be employed, self-employed, or registered with the labour office. Recipients would also be required to remain in the Czech Republic for at least 16 days during the month for which the benefit is claimed.

The new conditions would not apply to children, students, or senior citizens.

Ondřej Prokop has withdrawn as the ruling ANO Party's candidate for Prague mayor and announced he is leaving all political offices, saying sustained media scrutiny of him and his family made his position untenable. His resignation follows reports that he failed to declare three Prague apartments in his asset disclosure and provided inconsistent information about his income in official filings. Prokop said the omission was a mistake and that he was prepared to pay a fine. ANO leader Andrej Babiš (ANO) said the party would hold an extraordinary meeting to elect a new leader for its Prague branch and select a new mayoral candidate.