President Pavel insists on his reservations about Filip Turek. The politician rejects them and talks about a campaign.

Czech President Petr Pavel received members of parliament from the movement at Prague Castle. Motorists to themselves Filip Turek, who requested the meeting himself. The aim of the meeting was to clarify the reservations that the president has long expressed about Turek's possible nomination for the post of minister. However, according to a statement from the Office of the President of the Republic, the explanations provided did not convince the head of state, and his position remains unchanged.

The president bases his opinion on the Czech Constitution and the case law of the Constitutional Court. According to the Prague Castle, it is not only crucial whether individual statements or actions of politicians are demonstrably contrary to constitutional values, but also how they are perceived by a significant part of the public.

In the case of Filip Turek, according to the president, doubts remain about his loyalty to the values of the democratic rule of law, equality and human dignity. As reported by Hospodářské noviny, for example, the president believes that the intensity of public controversy surrounding Turek disqualifies him from serving in the government.

Filip Turek rejects these assessments. He repeatedly states that he is the target of a targeted media campaign and that his statements are being taken out of context. In interviews with Echo24 and Deník N, he admitted that some of his older social media posts were inappropriate, but emphasised that they did not promote Nazism or question the genocide.

He describes his views as conservative and provocative, not extremist. He also argues that he comes from a family with Jewish roots, which, according to him, precludes him from trivialising the crimes of the Nazi regime.

Turek further points out that he has not been convicted of any illegal activity and that in a democratic system, political accountability to voters should be the deciding factor. In his words, the president should not evaluate „the impressions of part of the public,“ but rather specific actions and facts. As he stated for iROZHLAS, he considers the Castle's approach to be a dangerous precedent.

Chairman of the Motorists for Themselves movement Petr Macinka stated that they insist on Turk's nomination and that, in their opinion, the president is working with incomplete or distorted information. At the same time, however, he admitted that the final say will be up to the prime minister, who, according to the Constitution, is the one who nominates ministers.

gnews.cz - GH