Brno, July 19 (CTK) – Social Democrat (CSSD) Michal Hasek, former South Moravia Governor and a former MP, has become an external aide to Agriculture Minister Miroslav Toman (for the CSSD), joining his team of advisers, Hasek told CTK on Thursday, adding that he otherwise remains working with a lawyer’s firm.
As an aide to Toman, a minister in the ANO-CSSD cabinet appointed in late June, Hasek wants to deal with tightening the law on breeding animals of prey, preparing a church restitution audit, bill related to drought fighting and wine-growing, and measures to reduce swelling bureaucracy.
In his former capacity as a lawmaker, Hasek was a member of the lower house agriculture committee.
He emphasised on Thursday that he is not changing his profession, nor is he becoming the ministry’s employee, but continues working as an articled clerk with the Jansta, Kostka lawyer’s company.
Hasek, 42, headed the South Moravia Region in 2008-2016, and was also head of the Czech Association of Regions for the same period. He was a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 2009 to 2014, with small pauses, and headed the CSSD deputies’ group in 2006-2008.
He was the CSSD first deputy chairman in 2011-2013.
He, together with a few allies, left the CSSD leadership after the unsuccessful “Lany coup,” or attempted toppling of Bohuslav Sobotka as the party head in 2013, and remained an ordinary member of the CSSD.
At present, he is a member of the Regional Assembly in South Moravia, where the CSSD is part of the regional government.
A few years ago, President Milos Zeman called Hasek his friend. Hasek is Zeman’s unpaid adviser for regional development.
Hasek told CTK that his remuneration as an aide to Toman is unlikely to cross 10,000 crowns a month, which is why the job is “far from lucrative.”
