Politicians commemorated the 104th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia on Friday at Vítkov. The traditional act of laying flowers at the National Memorial was attended by President Miloš Zeman, Prime Minister Petr Fiala, and Defence Minister Jana Černochová (both ODS).
In addition to the Head of State, wreaths were laid at the tomb of the unknown soldier by representatives of both chambers of Parliament, the Government, and the Church. Afterward, Gripen fighter planes and military helicopters flew over Prague.
The main event on October 28th will be the awarding of state honors by the President at the Castle.
The ceremony is accompanied by controversy in invitations sent only to selected personalities. For example, the president did not invite the presidents of both chambers of Parliament, i.e., the head of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarova Adamová (TOP 09), and the leader of the Senate, Miloš Vystrčil (ODS), to the ceremony. The president justified this by saying they had not accepted his earlier invitations to the award ceremony.
However, the Prime Minister and some ministers will attend. “The Prime Minister should not be absent at such an event. However, I told the president that all constitutional officials should be present at the celebrations of state holidays,” Fiala said about the event on Wednesday after a meeting with the head of state.