Prague, Nov 16 (CTK) – Some Czech senior government Social Democrat (CSSD) MPs, who signed the proposal for the reinstatement of the president defamation law, have decided to withdraw their signatures, CSSD deputy group head Roman Sklenak tweeted on Wednesday.
He did not elaborate on their names.
The proposal was signed by 60 lawmakers of the CSSD, the ANO movement of Finance Minister Andrej Babis and the opposition Communists (KSCM) and Dawn.
PM and CSSD chairman Bohuslav Sobotka called the proposal extremist and said this would return the country 27 years back.
The government ANO leadership has dissociated itself from the proposal and some of its deputies will probably also withdraw their signatures on it.
“If ANO dissociates itself from it as one whole, I will naturally take back my signature, I have no problem with it,” ANO MP Bronislav Schwarz told CTK on Wednesday.
Another signatory, ANO deputy Bohuslav Chalupa, is not considering withdrawing his signature. However, he said he thought that the Chamber of Deputies would not pass such an amendment to the criminal code.
The group of MPs proposed that the law on public defamation of the president be returned to the criminal code. If the crime were committed, this would be punishable with up to a 12-month prison term.
The Social Democrats whom CTK asked in the afternoon were not considering withdrawing their signatures.
“They are calling us to withdraw it,” CSSD MP Marie Benesova, who stands close to President Milos Zeman, said.
She backed up the effort. She said the law would restrict the flow of vulgarities aimed at the president.
CSSD deputy and former trade union leader Jaroslav Zavadil also confirmed he had been asked by phone to withdraw his signature. “I stand by what I sign,” he said.
Another CSSD deputy, Stanislav Huml supports the proposal as well.
The Communists have not adopted any resolution on the proposal.
One of the few KSCM PMs who did not support the proposal, Jiri Dolejs, told CTK that he would fear that the law could be abused, which had happened in the past.
There are tools in the existing legislation to punish insulting the head of state, he added. On the other hand, he is of the view that politicians should have a lower right to personality protection than ordinary citizens.
The proposal might open a discussion on the issue, he added.
