Marvanová: The coalition in Prague is hindered by the promotion of ego. The Pirates should retreat
IN TODAY’S EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN, AMONG OTHER THINGS: |
- How will the Pirates and Prague alliance negotiations affect each other? (0:23)
- How to get out of the deadlock? Should anyone step back? (4:40 a.m.)
- Does the Spolu coalition insist on nominating Jan Wolf (KDU-ČSL) to the Prague council? (15:53)
- Should the STAN movement sit on the council after this year’s Dosimeter case? (28:43)
- Did the elections in Prague end in success for the Spolu coalition? (33:04)
- What does he want to promote in the Senate? (40:36)
Pirates and Prague created an Alliance for Stability last week. How did it affect the post-election negotiations?
It was a surprise for us. Together, they proposed a tripartite meeting on the government’s floor plan, so we thought that this meeting would take place. The alliance thus leads to a deadlock at the moment. I do not understand that.
Isn’t there a fault in the Spolu coalition? The Pirates claim that they took the step because the negotiations in Prague are taking a long time.
Yes, he claims he wanted to speed it up. But they were wrong, we are now in a stalemate.
Both Pirates and Prague waged a very harsh and slanderous campaign against Spolu representatives. And these are the consequences
Couldn’t the Spolu coalition do it faster?
I don’t know what more they could have done. I’m not a member of the negotiating team, but from the outside you can see that there is a lot of mutual animosity (dislike – note Red.) But the mistake was already made before the elections, when the Pirates and Prague conducted a very harsh and slanderous campaign against Spolu representatives.
So these are the consequences. When the attacks escalate to a personal level, it can then be reflected in personal relationships after the elections. Moreover, Mayor Zdeněk Hřib does not want to be too accommodating at the moment, he should accept the role of Spolu and leader Bohuslav Svoboda.
Pirates and Prague cemented themselves in an alliance in the metropolis
Homemade
But the pirates now claim that they accept Mr. Svoboda’s candidate for mayor. However, if the Pirates don’t withdraw from the alliance, where is the way out?
I believe everyone is thinking about it, including the Pirates. And I think they won’t insist on it because they have blocked the situation. We discussed it at the club and we have no reason to leave the negotiations.
We are waiting. There is program agreement and the numbers also match. Other than promoting someone’s ego, I don’t see the obstacle
So have you adopted a wait-and-see tactic?
Yes, we are indeed waiting, there is a program match and there are numbers for it. Other than promoting someone’s ego, I don’t see the obstacle.
And how long will you wait? Four whole years?
This is a catastrophic vision that I hope will not come to pass. It would be a great shame if we didn’t find a solution.
Then why don’t you simply negotiate with the YES movement? There you are also close to the program and do not have conditions.
If the option is on the government floor plan, we prefer it. Prague needs cooperation with the ministry, a number of things previously failed only because of Hřib’s communication with former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. So we are trying to act in such a way that a coalition is formed in Prague. It depends on the Pirates. It’s their turn now to retreat.
Pražské Spolu again negotiated with ANO. Hřib’s condescension continues, Svoboda declared
Homemade
Can’t you back down? I am referring to the condition of the criminally prosecuted Jan Wolf (KDU-ČSL) that he does not sit on the council.
The debate surrounding Mr. Wolf was a strange one. Together, we did not vote for any nominee for the council, nor did we discuss it. We are not that far. So the Pirates should first talk to us about a program where it shouldn’t be a big problem. The agreement should then be on the table, and only then should there be a debate about the persons in the council. And in addition, nothing happened in Wolf’s case, for which municipal politicians are usually prosecuted.
The pirates argue that they do not understand why they want him there, when Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) or the leader of the People’s Party Marian Jurečka (KDU-ČSL) did not want to join the government with the criminally prosecuted Andrej Babiš.
The pirates said we wanted him there. But apart from docent Svoboda, who is our nominee for mayor, we did not demand any seat for a member of the Spolu coalition. So what they said is not true. And as far as criminal prosecution is concerned, I am of the opinion that it should be respected for the policy of presumption of innocence.
Isn’t that a double standard? For example, in Jihlava, the ODS and KDU-ČSL rejected the criminally prosecuted Jana Nagyová (ANO) in the council.
It must be considered on a case-by-case basis. Everyone has a right to say that person shouldn’t be sitting there, and at the same time, that person has a right to defend themselves. The actors of the specific situation decide. And the case of Babiš and Mrs. Nagy seems to me that there is a lot of evidence. Of course, the court will decide.
When the court has to decide, where is the difference between Ms. Nagy and Mr. Wolf at this point?
I actually think, from what I know of both cases, that a big one. But it is a matter of discussion. I wanted to talk about it with the Pirates, so that we could clarify whether it is an obstacle or not. However, negotiations did not take place, but I am still open to it.
In Jihlava, ANO rules with ODS and Lidovci. Nagy will stay out
Homemade
In addition to the Pirates, the STAN movement should be your partner. Should the council meet so soon after the Dosimeter case?
I am not a member of the negotiating team. STAN, however, through the mouth of the leader in Prague, Petr Hlaváček, declared that the people who are on the candidate list and are elected to the council, are not connected to the cause. And all that remains is to respect.
What is your relationship with the STAN movement now? You did not leave at your best, as was evident from your statements.
I had bad relations with Petr Hlubuček (which was at the center of the Dosimeter case – note Red.) and his workers, I don’t see them anymore. The conflicts do not continue, I have a fair relationship with Mr. Hlaváček. I don’t think it affected them.
Do you think the STAN movement has cleaned itself up?
The main thing is to learn from it. Political parties – including the STAN movement – should take seriously the signals when someone provides for non-standard negotiations. One should not wait for a situation where, for example, the police come to the municipality to make an arrest. It’s not just about getting clean, but also about setting internal processes so that it doesn’t happen again.
Has it accepted sufficient political responsibility?
It’s been so long and I won’t suspect them of not seeing it that way. I’m independent at the moment and it’s not right for me to speak into how he’s going to move forward.
You had a great success in Prague. You jumped from 16th place to 1st on the Spolu candidate list for council, you also made it to the Senate. Would you say that the election was a success for the Spolu coalition as well?
In the municipal elections, many claimed success and were certainly in favor of the Spolu coalition. But it was an even greater success in the senate elections.
Marvanová supports a coalition with the Pirates, but without Prague herself
Communal election
Couldn’t the elections have gone better in Prague? In the parliamentary elections, the Spolu coalition had 40 percent.
They certainly could have turned out better. Together, she was under heavy fire from the enemy’s campaign, which I definitely did not agree with. I think political parties that want to work together after the election should attack each other less before the election.
You already mentioned the election campaign for the second time. Is it something you can get over?
I think yes. And I can also see in the negotiations that they have not lost their patience. So they don’t project it into the negotiations. I always say that it’s just a job that people chose us to do and they expect us to do it for a salary. But we are not taking her away now. If it took another month, it would be a shame for everyone.
As a coalition, shouldn’t you have put someone other than Mr. Svoboda at the forefront of the candidate list?
Spolu chose him and I fully respect that. They did it after careful consideration and it wasn’t up to me to influence it at all.