Prague, March 28 (CTK) – The chairmen of most Czech parliamentary parties have welcomed yesterday’s decision by Jiri Drahos, 68, former Czech Science Academy chairman, to run for president in the direct election next January.
The opposition Mayors and Independents (STAN) movement chairman Petr Gazdik said he will propose to STAN that it support Drahos’s candidacy.
Opposition TOP 09 chairman Miroslav Kalousek said Drahos is the best candidate for the time being.
“Out of those who have announced their candidacy, we would definitely prefer Professor Drahos,” Kalousek told CTK.
He said TOP 09 is still waiting for possible further contenders to announce their candidacy.
“I wish [former PM and Senate chairman] Petr Pithart to do so,” Kalousek said.
Pithart (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) has ruled out running for president.
Gazdik told CTK that Drahos is a dignified candidate who can significantly influence the presidential election.
He said he will discuss support for Drahos with the junior government Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL).
STAN and the KDU-CSL will form a coalition with one name, logo and manifesto before the autumn general election.
KDU-CSL chairman and Deputy PM Pavel Belobradek said he welcomes the number of candidates having risen.
He said the KDU-CSL is not planning to field its own candidate for now. “It is too early to speak about our support for anyone,” Belobradek said.
Government ANO movement head and Deputy PM Andrej Babis said ANO will make a decision on the candidate in a referendum.
“I consider Mr Drahos a serious person. Mr Drahos does not seek support of any party or movement, which his spokesman has also confirmed. The ANO movement will hold an internal referendum. Our priority now is the (autumn) general election,” Babis told CTK.
Opposition Civic Democrat (ODS) head Petr Fiala said Drahos “is surely a dignified candidate for president.”
The ODS will present its plan regarding the presidential election in time, and it will not comment on candidates before,” Fiala said.
Jiri Ovcacek, spokesman for incumbent President Milos Zeman tweeted that Drahos is a candidate of the media and an artificial PR product.
He wrote that Drahos’s candidature is no big surprise. The media as well as political parties “support him with enthusiasm,” he wrote.
Ovcacek mentioned the opposition conservative TOP 09 and the surroundings of Bohuslav Sobotka, prime minister and Social Democrat (CSSD) chairman.
“The direct election will be a choice between a candidate of the citizens of our beautiful country and a candidate of the media, who is an artificial PR product,” Ovcacek wrote.
Zeman announced his candidacy to his supporters on March 9. One day later, he said he will not attack his rivals and that he will not take part in any election debates with them.
Now, Zeman has a regular weekly programme on the Barrandov commercial television station.
Another presidential candidate, lyricist and businessman Michal Horacek, told Info.cz server that Drahos will be a candidate of political parties and that he will have to repay their support to them.
He said he wants to collect 150,000 signatures in his support and that he will pay his campaign by himself.
The CSSD also wants to choose its candidate in a party referendum. A part of Social Democrats stand close to Zeman, a former party member.
