Tyniste nad Orlici, East Bohemia, May 2 (CTK) – Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek (Social Democrats, CSSD) could be a new prime minister after Bohuslav Sobotka (CSSD), if he tenders the government’s resignation as he said on Tuesday, ANO head and Finance Minister Andrej Babis has said.
Touring the Rychnov nad Kneznou vicinity, east Bohemia, he said he himself will take no steps in this connection.
“It is up to president Milos Zeman to act,” Babis told CTK.
He confirmed the previous information that he will meet Zeman on Wednesday.
“If the prime minister wants to hand in the resignation, let him do so, let the CSSD nominate a new prime minister, whoever, perhaps Mr Zaoralek, and we are ready to negotiate so that the government may rule until the end of its term,” Babis said.
The government is comprised of the CSSD, ANO and the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL). A regular general election is to be held on October 20-21.
Babis criticised Sobotka for shifting the problem to the president.
He said Sobotka’s decision to hand in the resignation is an abnormal step that threatens the budget, the drawing of EU funds and the prepared raising of salaries.
“I have the feeling that he (Sobotka) will do everything to eliminate me from the government so that I be not able to complete my mandate because I am a substantially more successful minister than he,” Babis said.
