Prague, Nov 22 (CTK) – Twenty-four percent of Czechs dislike the way President Milos Zeman marked the November 17, 1939 and 1989 anniversary on Tuesday, while 29 percent like it, according to a poll conducted by the Median agency and released by Czech Television (CT) yesterday.
During a remembrance ceremony at Prague-Albertov, Zeman appeared side by side with, for example, leaders of the Bloc Against Islam group.
This was criticised by Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) earlier this week. Sobotka told daily Hospodarske noviny (HN) out on Friday that the president should not appear at events organised by a sect that is xenophobic and spreads hatred.
The poll showed that 25 percent of people are indifferent to how Zeman honoured the anniversary of November 17, when the Nazis raided Czech universities in 1939 and the anti-communist revolution burst out in Prague in 1989.
Twenty-two percent of the respondents said they are unable to make up their mind.
Median said Zeman´s Albertov appearance was liked by a majority of those who cast their ballots for him in the 2013 presidential election, and disliked by a majority of those who voted for Karel Schwarzenberg, former foreign minister and Zeman´s unsuccessful rival in the presidential election runoff.
Commenting on the poll results on CT, Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky (ANO) said unlike Zeman, he would never stand side by side with Bloc Against Islam leader Martin Konvicka.
“If our society really does not need something now, it is the digging of trenches and promotion of extreme opinions,” Stropnicky said.
Apart from Sobotka, Zeman´s appearance at the Albertov meeting has also been criticised by Human Rights Minister Jiri Dienstbier (CSSD), who said Zeman has contributed to the rise of fascism in Czech society.
rtj/dr
