MfD: Many Czech lawmakers to shun Zeman's inauguration

Prague, March 1 (CTK) - Many members of the Czech Chamber of Deputies and the Senate will not attend Milos Zeman's presidential inauguration on March 8, some of them as a sign of protest at his unfair presidential campaign, daily Mlada fronta Dnes (MfD) writes Friday.

Others have no time in their tight schedules to attend the ceremony, MfD writes.

Some of the lawmakers say they do not want to attend the ceremony at which a man will become president who won in an unfair way in the first direct presidential poll, it adds.

Leftist candidate Zeman defeated conservative Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg with a margin of almost 500,000 votes in the second round.

A complaint was raised that Zeman had used false, xenophobic and nationalistic arguments in his campaign.

Czech Supreme Administrative Court (NSS) acknowledged that some of Zeman's statements could have been perceived as incorrect, demagogic and even false.

However, this was not as serious as to cancel the election, the court ruled.

The "rebellion" is widespread among the lawmakers for the centre-right Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and the conservative TOP 09 that nominated Schwarzenberg, MfD writes.

"I will not go to the Prague Castle, seat of Czech heads of state," Chamber of Deputies member Jaroslava Wenigerova (ODS) said.

"The new president's campaign went beyond all bounds of taste, especially Zeman's playing the card of the Benes decrees," Wenigerova said.

She said she recognised that Zeman's election was valid and her participation in the joint session of the parliamentary chamber was her working duty, but her disgust at watching Zeman's inauguration prevailed in her mind.

During their televised duel, Zeman attacked the critical statements of Schwarzenberg on the postwar Benes Decrees and the transfer of Sudeten Germans, and the anti-German sentiment was used in the campaign.

The decrees signed by president Edvard Benes provided for the confiscation of the property of collaborators, traitors, ethnic Germans and Hungarians, except for those who themselves suffered under the Nazis.

Tens of lawmakers may not arrive for the ceremony, not only on account of their antipathy to Zeman, but because they are simply busy, MfD writes.

Petr Gazdik, head of the TOP 09 deputies' group, said at least 20 out of TOP 09's 41 deputies are expected to attend the ceremony.

"Many of my colleagues are disgusted at the campaign chosen by Zeman's team," Gazdik said.

"I have respect for Zeman, he is my president," he added.

Schwarzenberg himself will go to the ceremony.

"Do not let me go there alone," he is quotes as having told one of his fellow lawmakers.