Macinka Laughs Off Czechia's Drought: "Hang On, We Just Had Rain"

Petr Macinka, leader of the Motorists (Motoristé sobě) party and the Czech government's commissioner for deregulation, has mocked the drought crisis gripping the country, which is drying up rivers, streams, fields and wells. Speaking on the XTV programme, he opened by ridiculing everyone affected by the water shortage — as well as the prime minister, who has declared the fight against drought a new government priority.

"I noticed there's been talk lately about the so-called climate crisis — terrible, Sodom and Gomorrah. I was on holiday, where it drizzled every other day, and when I came back it was raining, and it's raining again now, so I really don't know. But apparently we've had some sort of galactic inter-drought here," the minister quipped, alluding to Intersucho, a portal that monitors drought-related climate data across the country.

Jokes About Tanks and Climate

According to Macinka, the entire debate over drought is nothing more than an attempt by "green" activists to conjure up a non-existent climate crisis — what he calls their "green religion." The conversation eventually drifted into jokes about World War II: Macinka's fellow guest, Filip Turek, the commissioner for reducing obstacles to business, noted that the worst drought in Czech history was recorded back in 1947. Macinka replied that this was because of all the carbon dioxide from tanks at the time, while Turek added that "tanks in Ukraine are doing the same thing now." "If you want to stop global warming, stop driving tanks," the Motorists leader concluded.

Other Politicians React

While Macinka joked, other officials took the drought far more seriously. According to sources, former prime minister Andrej Babiš is unhappy that his ministers "slept through" the problem. Environment Minister Igor Červený assured the public that water, not just petrol, is an important liquid. Even commissioner Filip Turek reportedly noticed the lack of greenery in nature — through his car window.

The Motorists' party programme states in its environmental section: "We reject an approach that puts ideology above people's needs." Yet when it comes to setting aside his own conviction that there is no climate crisis for the sake of citizens' interests, Macinka appears distinctly less willing.

Around Prague, based on reporting by seznamzpravy.cz