President Zeman appointed the government of Prime Minister Fiala in Lány
Updates: 12/17/2021 12:24 PM
Released: 17.12.2021, 11:04
Lány (Kladensko) – Today, President Miloš Zeman untraditionally appointed members of the new government of Petr Fiala (ODS) at the castle in Lány. It consists of ODS, KDU-ČSL, TOP 09, Pirates and Mayors and Independents (STAN). The head of state appointed the cabinet as Fiala had designed it a month ago. The president originally announced that he refused to appoint Jan Lipavsky (Pirates) as Foreign Minister. Zeman wished the government of Fiala success and that something was left behind.
Zdeněk Nekula (KDU-ČSL), who is in isolation due to the covidem-19 infection, has not been named yet. Marian Jurečka, the chairman of the People’s Party, is temporarily entrusted with the management of the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Civic Democrats will occupy six positions in the government, three will be won by the People’s Party and two TOP 09 seats. The mayors received four ministerial seats, the Pirates three. In contrast to the current YES and CSSD cabinet, three non-portfolio members of the government have been created. The Coalition of Together and Pirates and STAN has decided to establish the post of Minister for European Affairs, renew the function of the Ministry of Science, Research and Innovation and establish a Minister for Legislation, who will chair the Legislative Council of the Government.
Zeman announced last Friday that he refuses to appoint the Lipava Ministry abroad. He blamed him for his relations with Israel and the Visegrad Four or his low qualifications. Fila after Monday’s head appoints but announces all reports that Zeman ministry according to his proposal. Today, during the ceremony, Chancellor Vratislav Mynář first called Lipavský a master, then corrected himself and stated that he was a bachelor.
The appointment of the cabinet did not take place unusually at Prague Castle, but in Lány, where the president has been staying at the Central Military Hospital since the end of November after his month and a half.
After the ceremony, the Prime Minister and the Ministry set out to lay a wreath at the tomb of President Tomáš Garrigu Masaryk, and at the end they sang the Czech anthem together. In the afternoon, they plan their first meeting and press conference at the Straka Academy. After that, Fiala will start introducing the ministry, which will continue on Saturday.
The cabinet intends to ask the deputies for confidence in mid-January, with a majority of 108 votes in the House. Until then, he plans to finalize his program statement. In the program part of the coalition agreement, the new coalition promises, for example, the enforcement of pension reform, growth in defense and culture expenditures or regular valorisation of health care payments for so-called state insured persons, such as children, pensioners and the unemployed. The parties have pledged to keep teachers’ salaries at least 130 percent of the average wage. They also want to renew the “Havel” foreign policy aimed at promoting democracy, human rights and civil society.
The cabinet is facing some urgent decisions, especially regarding the fight against the covid-19 epidemic. Without the request and its approval, the deputies will stop paying for the state of emergency at Christmas, so according to the Minister of Health Vlastimil Válek (TOP 09), the cabinet must decide today whether to send the request to the Chamber of Deputies. The government is also preparing to rework the state budget for next year. The ending cabinet proposed a budget with a deficit of 377 billion crowns, the incoming wants to reduce the deficit below 300 billion.
Zeman wished the newly appointed government that something remained
After today’s appointment at the castle in Lány, President Miloš Zeman wished the government of Petr Fiala (ODS) success and that something would remain after it. According to him, the cabinet has an opportunity to cope with the covid-19 or the energy crisis. Fiala stated that the group of ODS, KDU-ČSL, TOP 09, Pirates and Mayors and Independents (STAN) must start working from the first moment. According to him, the ministers will put all their energy into fulfilling the program.
Zeman said in a brief address to the new ministers that he could only wish the cabinet success, but that is not very specific. “Therefore, I would like to wish you that something useful will remain behind you. It sounds obvious, but of course it is not,” he said. According to him, some maintenance governments will never go down in history, others have made history in a negative sense. “May nothing like this ever happen to you,” he added.
Zeman said that during his reign the path to regional self-government began or that the privatization of banks was discovered. “There is an opportunity before you to deal with the covid, to deal with the energy crisis and, of course, the budget and the state’s economy in general. the first, “said the president.
Fiala said his coalition government was aware of the responsibility it was taking on. “Voters have given us hope for change and a better future for them and the next generation,” he said. According to him, the cabinet does not start in an easy position, many things are neglected in the Czech Republic. “We are facing huge problems, be it covid, energy prices, rising prices, inflation and everything that accompanies it,” he said.
It will be Christmas soon, but the cabinet will not rest, said Fiala. “We have a lot of work to do, we want to do it a little differently than our predecessors,” he added. According to him, the new government will solve the problems more systematically and with forethought than the cabinet of Andrej Babiš (ANO). “We want our work and its results to speak for us,” he said.
According to him, the cabinet consists of a team of people who have experience, talents and competencies. “We are all united in fully respecting our joint program statement and in fulfilling it in domestic and foreign policy. But above all, we will put all our strength, knowledge and energy into fulfilling the program statement. We know it will not be easy, but I am convinced that We can do it together, “he added.