ODS confirms Sobotka as party's official presidential candidate

Prague, July 9 (CTK) - The executive council of the Czech senior ruling Civic Democratic Party (ODS) yesterday confirmed Premysl Sobotka, winner of the internal primaries, as the party's official presidential candidate, ODS chairman and Prime Minister Petr Necas has said.

The party leadership also decided that the party will set aside 15 million crowns for the presidential campaign.

Necas said the party "supposes that all money will flow through the party's accounting" and that the financing of Sobotka's presidential campaign will be transparent "by all means."

The first presidential election will be held early next year when the second and last possible term of current President Vaclav Klaus expires. Until now Czech presidents have been elected by the two houses of parliament.

Senator Sobotka said previously he wants to base his campaign on debates with citizens and that he also wants to make use of traditional advertisements and billboards as well as of Internet social networks.

Sobotka beat MEP Evzen Tosenovsky in the party primaries last month. However, the ODS candidate is not an election favourite.

Public opinion polls give more chances to former prime minister Jan Fisher, former Social Democrat (CSSD) head and prime minister Milos Zeman and economist Jan Svejnar who has not yet clearly said whether he will be running in the elections.

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