Prague, June 26 (CTK) – The appointment of the first post-Communist government with the Communist (KSCM) backing on the Remembrance of Communist Victims Day is a mockery of the persecuted, imprisoned and killed under the Communist regime, Czech opposition leaders told journalists on Tuesday.
The view was expressed by the lawmakers for the Mayors and Independents (STAN), the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) and the Pirates.
The government is to be formed by Prime Minister Andrej Babis’s ANO and the Social Democrats (CSSD).
Social Democrat leader Jan Hamacek said the date had been set down according to the timetable of President Milos Zeman and Babis.
“The appointment of the new government, directly supported by the Communists, on the day of Communist victims is symbolic. We consider this a mockery to the victims of the Communist regime,” STAN leader Petr Gazdik said.
It is sad that Babis’s ANO had been formed with the slogan promoting change in the politics in the Czech Republic, while it behaves pragmatically, bringing Communists to power, he added.
“It is nothing but politicking. One can see the efforts at mutual blackmailing and the Communists are trying to get the maximum,” Gazdik said.
Jan Bartosek, head of the Christian Democrats deputy group, said ANO had at first claimed to be a right-wing grouping, but it has been relying on the left part of the political scene as well as the anti-EU Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) for months.
“I am afraid that this government is absolutely indifferent to any victims of Communism,” Bartosek said.
The position was adopted by the Pirates, too. “It is a mockery,” Pirates deputy Radek Holomcik said.
Zeman is scheduled to appoint the government on June 27. On the same day, the Communist regime executed democratic politician Milada Horakova after a show trial 68 years ago.
Hamacek said the date had been set according to the timetable of Babis and Zeman and the place in their calendars.
“Of course, if anyone wants to find a symbolic value in this, one can find it there,” Hamacek said.
