Prague, Oct 22 (CTK) – Czech President Milos Zeman should behave like a statesman and award Jiri Brady, otherwise this year’s October 28 will be a show of Prague Castle’s narrow-mindedness and Czech disunity, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobokta (Social Democrats, CSSD) tweeted Saturday.
October 28 is a national holiday on which the establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918 is remembered.
Sobotka told CTK earlier Saturday that Brady’s name is not on the list which Zeman sent him for countersignature.
“With regard to the constitutional tradition, the president’s decision must be respected. It is only he who submits the proposals for decoration to the prime minister for countersignature,” Sobotka wrote.
He added that Brady’s fate is really exceptional.
Brady, 88, survived the Terezin, north Bohemia, and Oswiecim (Auschwitz) Nazi camps. He now lives in Canada.
This evening, Sobokta wrote on Facebook that “Zeman should behave like a statesman and award Mr. Brady. He definitely deserves it. Anything else will only turn this year’s October 28 into a show of the Castle’s narrow-mindedness and the typical Czech disunity. The counter-action on the Old Town Square can solve nothing. The dignity of our major national holiday and the cohesion of the whole Czech society is at stake. State symbols should unite us,” Sobotka wrote.
The action on the Old Town Squre as an alternative to the celebration of the holiday at Prague Castle is organised by Petr Gazdik (opposition Mayors and Independents STAN), deputy chairman of the Chamber of Deputies.
Herman said on Friday that Zeman personally called on him to cancel his planned meeting with the Tibetan Dalai Lama, or else he will not decorate his uncle Brady.
Zeman’s spokesman Jiri Ovcacek denied this information on Czech Radio.
At the same time, Herman dismissed the allegation that he demanded a decoration for Brady in exchange for the cancellation of his meeting with the Dalai Lama.
Ovcacek wrote to CTK Saturday that Herman contacted Zeman in writing “a few months ago” asking him to decorate his uncle.
At the same time, Ovcacek wrote that the list of personalities to be awarded is secret until the ceremony on October 28.
“This list is the same as the one which the Czech prime minister has countersigned,” he said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) said Saturday Zeman will decorate 31 people.
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