Prague 9 senator Smoljak (STAN) re-elected, hits back at Babiš

David Smoljak of the STAN movement has defended his Senate seat for Prague 9. The screenwriter, playwright and politician has sat in the Senate since 2019. On Saturday at the STAN election headquarters, he explained how he assesses the results and what he sees as the voters' message to the government.

A signal for the ruling ANO

Smoljak, known among other things for his fight for the independence of public media, says he is pleased with the result not only for himself but also for his colleagues and the entire democratic opposition. In his view, the elections sent a message to the ruling ANO movement and its allies: they are doing something wrong.

And, the senator stresses, it is not the opposition saying this but the voters themselves, possibly including some who voted for the government. The best corrective for a politician, he says, is not an agency or a marketing company but the people: “They are the ones who grade us”. Ignoring that, Smoljak warned, means ending badly.

For STAN itself, he believes, there is nothing fundamentally new in the results. Voters appreciate it when parties can unite and set aside their own interests and local rivalry, and that is a good guide for the future.

A reply to Prime Minister Babiš

The senator also commented separately on a statement by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. The prime minister hinted that if ANO is not invited into the Prague coalition, Prague could run into problems with funding for major projects. Smoljak admits this is possible, but threats against voters and municipalities are, in his view, not the best way to extend one's influence. If the prime minister seriously decides to fight the capital and the other statutory cities, “he will only hurt himself.”

Whether this will get in the way of cooperation between the coalition and the opposition in Prague, Smoljak does not know: it all depends on how serious the remark was. He hopes it was just talk. And he adds: “We will not let ourselves be blackmailed.”

The saved Zahradky park

The senator's role, Smoljak says, is not only national but also local. He names Zahradky park, the most visited park in Prague 9, also used by residents of the new housing districts, as his main achievement. Part of the park could have been built over with apartments, but the senator managed, as he stresses not alone, to bring all sides to one table. They agreed on a land swap: the housing will be built elsewhere, and the park will be preserved in full as a place for recreation.

Around Prague, based on reporting by prazsky.denik.cz