Pavel “conquered” Prague just before the elections. His supporters filled the Old Town Square
Presidential candidate Petr Pavel spoke at a meeting with his voters and supporters in the center of Prague. Thousands of people came to Staroměstské náměstí to form a portrait of the retired general and former high-ranking NATO official before the elections. Pavel’s supporters brought Czech flags, but also flags with the EU or NATO logo. Actor and screenwriter Zdeněk Svěrák, director Václav Marhoul, actor Jiří Mádl and other representatives of the domestic cultural and sports scene, including former presidential candidates Danuš Nerudová, Pavel Fischer and Marko Hilšer, appeared on stage. Banners bore slogans such as “Pavel to the Castle!” or “Páda Babiš, make a wish”. The Echo24 newspaper covered the entire event directly on the spot.
The final event with Pavel started at 17:00 and carried the slogan: “Come to support truth and dignity.” Please come and express that we will not be deterred by lies and intimidation.” In the Old Town Square, people of all ages gathered in support of Petr Pavel, taking with them Czech flags, the flags of the European Union, the United Nations and NATO. At the upcoming event, Danuš Nerudová’s volunteers are also helping Petar Pavlo in his campaign and handing out flags and pancakes in support of the candidate. The meeting was moderated by the actor Vladimír Polívka and started with a drumming show. Petr Pavel was the first to speak to the participants of the event. “Even on the wildest night, I never thought that I would appear here in this beautiful place with so many people,” said Pavel at the beginning of the performance. He received massive applause and chanting of the slogan: “Pavel to the castle!”
You have come to stand up for the truth to win again. That’s what unites us all, and that’s why we’ll get through this. Thank you! 🇨🇿 pic.twitter.com/bO7XpL7mYQ
— Petr Pavel (@general_pavel)
January 25, 2023
In addition to Pavel himself, his unsuccessful opponents from the first round, who decided to support him in the second round – Danuše Nerudová, Pavel Fischer and Marek Hilšer – are participating in the event. “Good will be stronger than evil, so come to the polls. First, vote and then go skiing,” Nerudová said and received thunderous applause. “I am glad that we can elect a president that we will not be ashamed of. This is the reason why we are here,” said Pavel Fischer in the Old Town Square. Marek Hilšer called for people to vote and prevent a disaster.
Actor and screenwriter Zdeněk Svěrák also appeared on stage. “When Prague Castle gets airy and our president walks through its corridors for the first time, let him be the guardian of our good values. Throw Peter and Pavel in there, he’s on the same ticket,” the well-known actor said of his candidate. “We want a decent and dignified president that we can be proud of,” one event participant told Echo24.
People of all ages, including foreigners and foreign tourists, came to the event. There were over ten police vehicles and dozens of police officers and members of the orderly services at the scene. There are also representatives of the Million Moments for Democracy organization, including their spokesperson Hana Strašáková.
Actor and director Jiří Mádl also supported the retired general. “I’m sorry that whining has become a top sport during this presidential campaign. And it was the Little Jesus of Prague that took the most away,” Mádl pointed out sarcastically, referring to the campaign of Pavlov’s rival Andrej Babiš.
According to theater director and playwright Patrik Hartl, politics is evil, insidious and painful. “I believe that Petr Pavel will wipe out hatred and resentment from the castle, and will offer order and decency,” said Hartl. A number of other representatives of the domestic artistic, cultural and sports scene also performed, such as tennis player Lucie Šafářová or hockey players Tomáš Plekanec and Jiří Hrdina.
Václav Marhoul, the producer and director of The Painted Bird and the war film Tobruk, also joined Pavlo’s support. “I have known Peter Pavel personally for over 20 years, we worked together in a joint unit in the army. I got to know him as a characterful, decent and principled man who knows how to take his responsibility firmly upon himself. Few people can do that,” said Marhoul, adding that these elections are a referendum on electing a decent president after 20 years.
According to the director, these elections are a referendum on electing a decent president after 20 years. You give me hope that after 20 years I will stop calling Peter Pavel Mr. General, but I will start calling him Mr. President,” declared Marhoul.
In the end, Pavel thanked all his supporters and also the voters of his former opponents. “Elections are won by votes, not preferences. Come to the elections, we must not let it lie idle, otherwise Andrej Babiš will lie down in the castle,” said Pavel on the Old Town Square.
Pavel called on all people, both his own and Babiš’s supporters, not to argue with each other and to rather cooperate. According to him, there is much more that unites the people of the Czech Republic than what divides them. “I am also talking to people who will vote for Andrej Babiš or will not vote at all. I respect that they have a different opinion on some things, that they can be disappointed and feel that the state does not care about them as much as they would imagine. And of course that has to change,” he said. “But we won’t change it by arguing, pointing fingers, or mocking each other,” he added.
At the end, the participants sang the song Once I’ll Be Further by Michal Strnad with glowing mobile phones in their hands.
In connection with the events, criticism of Pavel also appeared. Under the clock tower in Old Town Square, someone placed a poster with the words “Shameful nation that elects two Bolsheviks, a world shame”, which was signed with an e-mail address containing the words “Catholic Legion”.
Due to the expectation of a large number of participants, the organizers of the meeting issued recommendations for visitors to the event. “Due to the large number of expected participants and the capacity of the Old Town Square, please use other streets than Železná, Melantrichová and Celetná, in which dangerous traffic jams can occur,” the organizers wrote on Facebook, stating that if this were to happen, the event will be closed immediately for security reasons.