On Saturday, President Miloš Zeman connected via video conference with Petr Fiala, the ODS chairman and parliamentary majority candidate for the new prime minister. Fiala informed the hospitalized Zeman about the process of forming the government of the coalitions Together (ODS, KDU-ČSL, TOP 09) and the Pirates and Mayors. He welcomed the president’s statement on Friday that he was ready to appoint him prime minister.
Zeman said in a telephone interview from the Central Military Hospital that there would be no problem with Fialal’s appointment as chairman of the new government.He reminded that current Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) has no interest in holding the position, and he promised to do everything that is possible to ensure that the government will be formed as quickly as possible.
“We discussed the political situation and other constitutional steps. “At the next meeting, I will present a list of candidates for ministers,” Fiala said. He did not say when Zeman might appoint him prime minister. “He did not put any conditions on me, we agreed to meet regularly and he wants to appoint a new government within weeks,” Fiala said.
Fiala informed the President that representatives of both coalitions had agreed on the main programme principles and were ready to form a functional government. Representatives of the five parties will sign the government coalition agreement on Monday before the opening of the constituent session of the new House. Babiš’s current cabinet of ANO and ČSSD will resign only after the meeting is over.
Zeman spoke to Babiš by phone on Friday. The Prime minister informed him that he considered it futile to seek a mandate to form a new cabinet. Babiš is planning to submit his government’s resignation to Zeman in writing.