Petr Pavel, the newly elected President of the Czech Republic, has stated in a recent interview that he was motivated to run for the presidency due to discussions about the possibility of former Prime Minister Andrej Babis becoming the next president. Pavel expressed his concerns about Babis being the favored candidate and decided to offer himself as an alternative in the presidential contest.

During the campaign, Pavel faced tough attacks, with Babis connecting him to the threat of war. However, Pavel praised the successful calm down of the atmosphere during the final debates with Babis on TV and radio. He stated that fear and dread should not be abused, and he objected to the topic of war being used in that manner.

As the new president, Pavel intends to tour the regions and focus more on the citizens’ problems. He plans to start his tour in the most crisis-affected regions, such as Karlovy Vary, Usti, and Moravia-Silesia. He also plans to hold talks with the opposition and act as a moderator between them and the government. Pavel is prepared to work with Babis and expects their meetings to be more constructive.

Pavel won the presidential election with 58.3% of the vote, while Babis received 41.7%. Pavel will take his oath and be inaugurated on March 9, replacing incumbent President Milos Zeman.

Article by Prague Forum