Regular meeting of President Miloš Zeman (left) with Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) at the chateau in Lány, February 5, 2023.
Prague – Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) will meet with President Miloš Zeman on Monday evening for the final meeting before the end of Zeman's presidential mandate. Radiožurnál Fiala told Czech Radio that he plans to say goodbye to the head of state in his current role on that occasion. He believes that the relations between the government and the president will be simplified with the arrival of the elected president Petr Pavel. According to him, however, he managed to maintain correct relations with Zeman.
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Pavel ran with an effort to calm relations in society, which Fiala considers important. He believes that relations between the cabinet and the Castle will also be simplified. “Even with President Zeman, I tried to establish correct relations in the interests of the Czech Republic. I think we have proved it, that my efforts to establish a constant dialogue so that, as a key institution in this state, we can speak the same language, at least in international political issues, was successful,” he said .
Zeman's second term ends next Wednesday, two days before he meets Fiala for the last time. “We have the last regular working dinner on Monday, March 6. It will be a dinner where I will also say goodbye to him in his position. We did it regularly and I think it should be like that, that the Prime Minister and the President talk regularly,” he said . At regular meetings roughly one month apart, Fiala also agreed with Pavel.
Pavel will appoint Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL) as Minister of the Environment on Friday, March 10, the day after his inauguration. Zeman refused, so Hladík is temporarily a deputy at the ministry, and Labor Minister Marian Jurečka (KDU-ČSL) is in charge. “It is a very important department, it is not good for the situation to continue when there is no full-fledged minister at the head,” said Fiala. He does not plan any further changes in the cabinet.
