The Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has announced that he will hold a farewell meeting with outgoing President Milos Zeman before the end of Zeman’s term. The meeting will take place on Monday evening, just two days before Zeman’s second and last term ends. Fiala stated that he believed relations between the government and the president would improve with the inauguration of president-elect Petr Pavel, who is to be sworn into office on March 9th.

Fiala emphasized that it was important for him to maintain appropriate relations with Zeman for the sake of the interests of the Czech Republic. He also praised his government’s effort to have a constant dialogue and to let key institutions in the state speak with a single voice, at least in international relations.

The prime minister said that the supper on Monday would be the last regular working supper between him and Zeman, and that it would also be a farewell to him while in office. He added that it was important for the prime minister and the president to meet regularly. Fiala also stated that he had agreed to regular monthly meetings with Pavel, the incoming president.

Fiala’s announcement comes amid controversy over the appointment of a new environment minister. Zeman had refused to appoint Petr Hladik as the new minister, resulting in Hladik being temporarily entrusted to the office of deputy environment minister. However, Pavel is set to appoint Hladik as the new environment minister on March 10th, according to Fiala.

The prime minister stressed the importance of having a full-fledged minister in the environment office and stated that it was not good for the situation to continue as it was. He also expressed confidence that Hladik was the right person for the job and that he would be able to tackle the challenges facing the Czech Republic in the area of environmental protection.

In conclusion, Fiala’s announcement of a farewell meeting with Zeman highlights the importance of maintaining appropriate relations between the government and the president. It also signals a new beginning with the inauguration of president-elect Pavel and his commitment to calm down relations in society. The appointment of Hladik as the new environment minister is another positive step forward for the Czech Republic, as it seeks to tackle the challenges of environmental protection.

Article by Prague Forum