Czech President Pavel to miss municipal vote over private trip

Czech President Petr Pavel will not take part in the municipal elections on 9 and 10 October in his home village of Černouček, as he will be abroad on a private trip during those days. The Castle's communications department announced this on Friday on its website.

“While abroad, the president will not take part in the vote for the Černouček community council. The president regrets this scheduling error,” the Castle said in a statement.

Pavel left for his private trip abroad that same day. He will return to his official schedule on Monday, 19 October, when he is due to receive ambassadors. Throughout this time, according to the Castle, he remains in contact with the presidential office in case any situation needs to be resolved.

According to the Castle, the president is travelling outside one of the EU countries, but due to the private nature of the trip, the office is not disclosing the exact location.

Pavel often takes private trips abroad. In January this year he flew to Málaga in Spain, from where he went on a motorcycle trip with friends. In late February he spent an extended weekend skiing in the Alps. As in those cases, the Castle did not name his exact whereabouts this time either, citing the private nature of the trips.

The municipal elections in Czechia will take place on Friday and Saturday, 9 and 10 October. Residents across the country will elect representatives to municipal and town councils, in statutory cities also to city district councils, and in Prague to the capital's and district councils. At the same time, the first round of elections for a third of the Senate will also be held, though it does not affect the head of state's own constituency.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz