Hradec Kralove, East Bohemia, Feb 18 (CTK) – Czechs Social Democrats have entrusted their new leader Jan Hamacek with talks on a new government with Prime Minister Babis’s ANO at the close of their congress on Sunday.
They decided that the government must not rely on the votes of the anti-EU Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD).
The party also called on ANO not to nominate criminally prosecuted persons to the government. This move is aimed against Babis, who was released for prosecution by the Chamber of Deputies over his implication in an EU subsidy fraud.
In their resolution, the Social Democrats said the criminal prosecution was a basic problem and called on ANO not to block the creation of a stable government by nominating a criminally prosecuted person.
ANO says it insists on Babis as the prime minister.
The Social Democrats elected Hamacek, a deputy chairman of the Chamber of Deputies, for their new leader at the congress earlier on Sunday.
“The problem of criminally prosecuted government member is not a problem of the CSSD. It arose within the ANO movement. We expect our counterparts from ANO to tell us during the talks whether and how they want to solve the problem,” Hamacek said.
Zimola said in the talks the CSSD would reject privatisation of health care.
The joining of the government according to the negotiated conditions will be decided by all Social Democrats in a binding referendum.
“A government with the support or participation of the CSSD must not rely on the votes of the SDP,” the party said in its final resolution.
After it was passed, the CSSD discontinued its congress until April 7. Then the delegates will be electing deputy chairpersons and decide on proposed changes in the party rules.
