The new Czech President Petr Pavel started a two-day visit to Slovakia, March 13, 2023, Bratislava. He gave an interview to ČTK editor Karl Čapko (right) in the presidential palace.
Bratislava – During the negotiations on the pension reform, President Petr Pavel especially wants to dampen passions and remind that it must be a joint work. He said this in an interview with ČTK during a visit to Bratislava. The reform will go beyond the electoral period of any party or coalition, it is not possible to set it every four years or even more often, he thinks. Pavel further stated that he already has a largely ready-made team of experts with whom he will work. He wants to reveal his plan for his first 100 days in office in the coming days.
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Photogallery: President Petr Pavel
The Together (ODS, KDU-ČSL, TOP 09) and Pirátů cabinet, STAN, promises in its program statement that it will carry out the reform. Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) previously stated that reforming the pension system is necessary to make it sustainable for future generations of pensioners. It has been talked about for several election periods.
“It will be necessary for the document to be prepared in such a way that it survives the election period, because it is not possible to adjust the pension reform every four years or even more often,” the president said. According to him, the government, the opposition and experts, who can bring a different perspective on the matter, will have to come to an agreement on the matter. and which will lead to an agreement, because they will actually do it for each other,” Pavel added.
The president will also soon have to make a decision on the controversial government amendment on the lower June valuation of pensions. It was approved by the House and the Senate. It must be signed by the president to enter into force.
Pavel wants to express his opinion on the government's amendment after he meets on Wednesday with representatives of the ANO opposition movement Alena Schillerová and Karl Havlíček. If he were to veto it, the House would probably not have time to override his position in time. The cabinet points out that the draft must be published in the collection by March 22, which is the last day for the issuance of the government order to increase pensions in June according to the current rules.
Pavel discussed the amendment with representatives of ANO even before his inauguration, representatives of the movement want to talk to him again about possible unconstitutionality. Pavel already spoke in the pre-election campaign about the fact that he wants to communicate with the opposition as well. Today, ČTK said that it will also invite ministers to a meeting if a specific problem that concerns them is to be addressed. “I will be interested in their opinion, their approach to solutions, or how they would react to, for example, some alternative proposals, how to solve the problems on which they might agree with the experts,” added the president.
Pavel already has to a large extent a ready-made team of experts, Nerudová is not in it
President Pavel has to a large extent a ready-made team of experts with whom he will cooperate, he is still looking for a “cross-cutting” specialist in education, he said in an interview with ČTK. According to him, Pavlo's opponent from the presidential election, Danuše Nerudová, who supported Pavlo against former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) before the second round, has not yet shown interest in a position in the team. Pavel discusses with her how to ensure that her key themes remain in the public space.
Pavel told ČTK that his expert team already exists to a large extent. “It will work on three levels – one will be internal consultants who will be on contract or at least part-time, then there will be people on call and then ad hoc for a specific area,” he said. Pavel already worked with many of these experts during the campaign.
Pavel announced today that Petr Pánek will be his legal advisor. “He brings to the team years of experience in international advocacy and the ability to solve complex legal issues. I believe that as a legal advisor he will help us restore trust in the presidency and create a transparent office where the interests of citizens come first,” he said on Twitter.
Looking for a “cross-cutting expert” in the field of education. “I would like an advisor for the field of education. So far we have worked with a number of very strong personalities, but each for a certain specific area, but they did not always agree on the cross-section. So we will still be looking for someone else,” he explained.
< p>According to Pavel, Nerudová has not yet expressed interest in becoming a member of the professional team. Already before the second round of the presidential election in January, they agreed that Pavel would introduce her campaign themes aimed at young people into the public space. “So far, we have discussed so that the topics that were important to her in the campaign do not disappear,” said Pavel.
Nerudová therefore suggested that she add names to these themes. “Suggestions to people who can drag them on, because I don't see the point in them passing it between themselves. And I haven't received such a suggestion yet. Once I get it, I'm ready to work on it and absorb it,” he stated.
Pavel said that during his tour of the Castle on Friday, he wanted to dispel the fears of people in the Office of the President of the Republic (KPR) and the Prague Castle Administration that he was planning purges and an “earthquake” in them. “I wanted to make it clear to them that I am ready to work with anyone who will give 100% performance, who will behave professionally and will have the will to work in a team where there will be normal relations and openness,” he said.
< p>If there will be any changes, it will be based on their own requests or because people will not fulfill the criteria that are placed on their functions. “In terms of the rooms or the office setup, I've gone to look at a couple of offices to see what condition they're in, or what configuration they're in. And I'm definitely not going to start by making any major changes or digging up the office,” he said .
Pavel will publish his plan for 100 days soon, including the rules for selecting judges of the Supreme Court
President Pavel will publish his plan for the first 100 days in office in the coming days. It will also include rules for the selection of constitutional judges or efforts to moderate the domestic political debate between the government and the opposition, he said in an interview with ČTK in Bratislava. The document will also include a plan for the first foreign trips.
Pavel announced his intention to present a plan for his first 100 days in office in an inaugural address last week. He emphasized in that context that having the so-called 100 days of defense after taking office would not be his own, he would rather be criticized for a too active start. “The public will learn what the plan will be in the next few days,” Pavel told ČTK.
It will include, for example, the procedure for the selection of constitutional judges. “To make it absolutely clear in what manner and in what time frame constitutional judges will be appointed,” he said. This year alone, the mandate of the President of the Constitutional Court (ÚS) Pavlo Rychetský, as well as six other of his colleagues, ends. The judge of the Supreme Court is appointed by the president with the consent of the Senate for a ten-year term of office. Pavel previously announced that he wanted a more transparent selection of candidates. He mentioned that their list could be public and they could attend public hearings.
The document will also include a plan for the first foreign trips. According to Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová, the presidents of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic are considering taking some courses together. According to Pavel, this could refer, for example, to the May meeting of the heads of state of the Council of Europe in Reykjavík. “There, I can well imagine that we could fly with one plane. It would not only be economical and green, but also symbolic,” he said. Another case could be the NATO summit in Vilnius.
The program will also include an effort to moderate the internal political debate between the government and the opposition on complex topics. “How will it be necessary to correct the valuation formula (of pensions), i.e. not only for possible extraordinary but also for standard valuations, but mainly subsequently the parameters of the pension reform, which is a key topic and without cooperation between the government and the opposition, it simply won't work,” Pavel added.< /p>
