Czech politicians on President Pavel's flight to vote: praise, a jab

Czech President Petr Pavel returned from his holiday on Friday and voted in the elections, reversing his earlier decision. Politicians reacted in different ways: most welcomed his move, but there were also some barbed remarks, mainly over the chartered private plane.

Praise and reservations

Tomio Okamura told the news site Novinky that “nothing justifies” the president changing his mind only under heavy pressure from the media and the public, but in the end it is good that he came to vote. In his view, all the highest constitutional officials should set an example.

Macinka also called the president's decision very right. He added that the “painful journey from Morocco to Černoučky and back” might raise logistical questions, but he does not intend to ask them. ODS chairman Martin Kupka replied briefly: “That's good.”

TOP 09 leader Matěj Ondřej Havel wrote on the social network X that the president did the right thing: he admitted his mistake himself and faced it head-on. Vít Rakušan, head of the Mayors movement, called Pavel's original position a mistake and was glad he changed his mind. Former finance minister Miroslav Kalousek wrote: “All's well that ends well.”

Jabs about the plane

Motoristé honorary president Filip Turek, a long-time critic of Pavel, could not resist a reproach. According to him, the country is “cooling the planet by banning plasma TVs and normal-powered vacuum cleaners”, while the president takes a private plane for a short flight. He also said he hoped Pavel would show the charter invoices and payment statements so that nobody would suspect barter corruption, as he told the iDNES.cz website.

KDU-ČSL chairman Jan Grolich remarked after voting in Velatice that the president did well to admit his mistake and that it was a “good symbol”. Pirate leader Zdeněk Hřib suggested that Pavel may have wanted from the start to draw attention to the election date, and urged the undecided to come and vote. The Pirates themselves posted a scene from the film “Top Gun” on X with the caption “The president is on his way to do his civic duty”.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz