Babis Seeks Servile Government: Okamura (SPD)

Milos Zeman Andrej Babis Tomio Okamura

Prague, April 13 (CTK) – Prime Minister Andrej Babis’s ANO evidently wants to have the weakest possible and most servile partner in the government if it prefers the resumed talks with the Czech Social Democrats (CSSD), Tomio Okamura, leader of the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), told journalists today.

 

President Milos Zeman recommended to Babis that he conduct talks with the Communists (KSCM) and the anti-EU SPD, but the notion was rejected by the ANO broader leadership on Thursday.

 

Okamura said the planned return of ANO to the talks with the Social Democrats was an unpleasant surprise both for him and probably also Zeman.

 

On Thursday, Okamura spoke with Zeman.

 

The previous talks between ANO and the Social Democrats foundered last week.

 

“ANO’s having favoured CSSD was an incredibly unpleasant surprise to me. Zeman, too, must have been surprised,” Okamura said.

 

“I will not speak on behalf of him, but on Thursday I was sitting with him almost two hours and this must be the news of which he had no idea, either,” Okamura said.

 

Okamura said the possible cooperation of ANO and the CSSD was no good solution for the Czech Republic.

 

“It is better for the Czech Republic if the government is entered by the parties with a stronger mandate,” he added.

 

Okamura sharply criticises the CSSD, arguing that it does not observe its words and is not able to guarantee the votes of all of its deputies.

 

However, it is Babis who bears full responsibility for the creation of the government, Okamura said.

 

“I can also see behind the decision Babis’ effort to have the weakest partner. One can see that CSSD is servile and never fulfilled what it promised,” he added.

 

“As seen by the election winner, this may be more advantageous. The more servile and weak the partner, the bigger field of activity for the election winner,” Okamura said.