Tough change of government cripples Czech Republic
President Milos Zeman's belated blessing for the coalition of election winners led by Petr Fiala could have been the starting signal for a new era in the Czech Republic now that ex-Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who is suspected of corruption, is gone. But the spirit of optimism seems to have evaporated, and fundamental problems remain in the turmoil of the transition. Commentators call on the new players for more action.
Invisible and inactive winners
Covid is in full swing here, Jan Stránský, a commentator for Seznam Zprávy, reminds the future head of government Petr Fiala:
“Stop hiding! Unfortunately people are beginning to doubt that the new government will be able to deal with the epidemic any more effectively than the amateurs under ex-premier Andrej Babiš. ... It's time to wake up and face Covid. Some people will curse you for unpopular measures which are unfortunately indispensable in the current situation. So what? ... It's about protecting our health and lives. So far the winning coalition has made an embarrassing impression in the fight against the virus, to put it mildly.”
Does anyone actually want to govern?
Deník criticises the quarreling over posts in the new government coalition:
“The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs is important to the leader of the Christian Democrats, Marian Jurečka, even if the former minister of agriculture has no experience with it. But a party leader must be given a key political position. His deputies in the party have refused any ministries because they don't want to live in Prague but with their families in Brno. What an absurd excuse for top politicians. ... The Pirates are arguing with the mayor's party and consider some of the ministerial candidates put forward by [Petr Fiala's party] the ODS unacceptable. Everyone is already at each other's throats even though they haven't even started governing yet.”