Liberec, North Bohemia, Oct 17 (CTK) – Kamil Jan Svoboda, number two on the regional list of candidates of the Czech Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) for the forthcoming election to the Chamber of Deputies, resigned as the first candidate on Tuesday, Pavlina Kroupova, head of the regional election department, said.
Svoboda said he did so because the party was still ready to cooperate in the government with Andrej Babis’ ANO.
This Friday and Saturday, 200 seats in the Chamber of Deputies will be contested by 390 candidates for 24 parties and movements.
“Since his resignation only came after the registration of the lists of candidates was finished, we will post the announcement in all polling stations in the region,” Kroupova said.
“My resignation is due to the surviving readiness of the KDU-CSL and its leader to rule along with ANO movement of Babis, a former agent of the Communist StB secret police who is facing fraud charges in an EU subsidy case,” Svoboda said.
The Slovak Nation’s Memory Institute (UPN) says it has evidence Babis was an StB agent code-named Bures. Babis has denied the allegation and he will turn to courts again to insist on his his case.
“The current KDU-CSL leadership has not clearly rejected partnership with ANO. I absolutely disagree with the position. As I did not want to be forced into taking part in it if I am elected, I resign,” Svoboda said.
Along with the Social Democrats (CSSD), the KDU-CSL and ANO formed a coalition government in since 2014.
Svoboda also resigned from other posts in the party.
Svoboda asked his followers to support the opposition TOP 09, just like him.
KDU-CSL leader Pavel Belobradek said this was Svoboda’s free decision and he respected it.
