President Petr Pavel has accused Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka of attempting to blackmail him into appointing the controversial politician Filip Turek as a minister in the new Czech government. Pavel revealed that Macinka sent threatening SMS messages at night to the president’s adviser, warning of unprecedented problems for the government if Turek was not appointed.
In one message, Macinka, leader of the smallest coalition partner “Motorists Themselves,” wrote:
“He can be at ease if I get Turek in the Ministry of Environment. If not, I will burn bridges in a way that will enter political science textbooks as an extreme case of cohabitation… Either everything is possible or nothing.”
President Pavel called an urgent press conference and published the messages, denouncing them as an unacceptable attempt at blackmail in a democracy. Pavel stated that he had referred the matter to security services and lawyers to determine if Macinka had committed a criminal offense.
Pavel stressed that Macinka’s party, “Motorists Themselves,” is acting irresponsibly, prioritizing the ambitions of a controversial figure over the interests of the Czech Republic and its citizens.
The messages also indicated that Macinka tried to leverage Turek’s appointment to persuade radical nationalists in the government to send four Czech L-159 aircraft to Ukraine for drone defense.
Filip Turek is a controversial influencer and former Member of the European Parliament, honorary president of the Eurosceptic party “Motorists Themselves.” He is known for racist and xenophobic social media posts, gestures resembling the Nazi salute, threats against a Saudi embassy employee, extreme speeding, and illegal construction. Due to this history, President Pavel refuses to appoint him.
Prime Minister Andrej Babiš initially proposed Turek because the party “Motorists Themselves” had the right to nominate candidates for the relevant ministries. However, Babiš now no longer wants to pursue the case, which involved creating a new government role for Turek related to the Green Deal.
Macinka had previously publicly threatened to reduce the president’s budget and otherwise hinder Pavel’s work abroad if Turek was not appointed.
This incident has intensified tensions between the Czech president and the smallest coalition partner in the government.
