PRAGUE (AP) — Tens of thousands of Czechs rallied Sunday in the capital and elsewhere to support President Peter Pavel in his dispute with the country’s foreign minister.
Demonstrators packed the picturesque Old Town Square, while others had to gather in nearby Wenceslas Square to watch the speech on a big screen.
Some waved Czech, Ukrainian and European Union flags, while others displayed posters featuring the popular president and banners reading “Long live Pavel.”
Pavel’s refusal to appoint a government minister representing the right-wing Eurosceptic party led by Foreign Minister Peter Machinka is at the heart of the dispute.
Pavel said Filip Turek was unqualified to serve as environment minister because daily posts on his Facebook page were found to be overtly racist, homophobic and sexist.
Turek apologized for some posts but denied he made others.
Machinka accused the president of violating the country’s constitution and threatened him with consequences if he did not appoint his controversial deputy.
Pavel countered that he considered it an extortion attempt and planned to meet with populist Prime Minister Andrei Babis on the issue on Wednesday.
Pavel was sworn in as a new government on December 15 after Babiš and his ANO (or YES) movement swept the country’s October elections and agreed to form a majority coalition with two small political groups – the anti-immigrant Party for Freedom and Direct Democracy and the Automobile Party.
The alliance’s agenda includes steering the country away from its support for Ukraine and rejecting some key EU policies.
Unlike the new government, retired army general Pavel is a staunch supporter of Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invasion.
Small rallies in support of Pavel were also held in several other places across the country.
