Pavel invites Zeman to inauguration at first meeting since elections

Outgoing head of state Miloš Zeman and president-elect Petr Pavel met at the Lány presidential residence near Prague on Monday.

Mr. Pavel told journalists after the discussion that he had invited Mr. Zeman to his inauguration on March 9.

It was the first meeting between them since Mr. Pavel’s victory in presidential elections last month.

Mr. Pavel said that they had discussed the result of the elections – in which Mr. Zeman supported Andrej Babiš – as well as the president-elect’s reservations regarding the operation of the Office of the President under the incumbent.

Mr. Pavel’s team said they had dropped the idea of inviting presidents from other states to the inauguration at Prague Castle.