He will do whatever he sees in my eyes," said Turek: Motorists to announce new ministerial candidate

video: Instagram / filipturekpresident

Motorists to soon introduce a new candidate for Minister of the Environment, announced Filip Turek on Instagram. According to Turek, the new head of the department should work alongside him at the Ministry of the Environment (MŽP). Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) stated that the name of the new candidate will be announced on Monday. Tomio Okamura, chairman of the coalition partner SPD, said that the head of the Motorists, Petr Macinka, had informed him of the change.

Turek is currently the government envoy for climate policy and the Green Deal. President Petr Pavel refused to appoint Turek as a minister in the government of ANO, SPD, and the Motorists, citing, among other things, some of his stances and statements.

"As a non-minister, I have decided to offer the Prime Minister the possibility that we would nominate a minister for the post of the environment, where I currently sit as an envoy. It will be a minister who is very serious and who will do at the ministry whatever he sees in my eyes," Turek said in a video on his Instagram account.

"Soon we will introduce a minister who will work at the MŽP by my side, and I believe we will be a great team. I don’t do politics for positions and money; I do it for this country and to change things," Turek wrote in a comment on the Instagram video. Earlier this week, Macinka denied that the party would nominate businessman Richard Chlad to lead the MŽP, as some media outlets had speculated.

Babiš wrote in a text message to ČTK that he is informed about the Motorists' new candidate for Minister of the Environment. "You will find out tomorrow (Monday) at the government press conference," he added.

It depends on who the minister will be, the opposition warns

According to the opposition, the MŽP needs a full-fledged minister. "Now it is about whom they nominate, so that one problem is not merely replaced by another," said ODS chairman Martin Kupka.

"He doesn't need to read anyone's eyes. It’s enough if he works for the people and not against them. However, I understand the Motorists' effort to nominate someone 'very serious' following Filip Turek's behavior," wrote former Minister of the Environment Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL) on the X network.

According to the chairman of the Christian Democrats (KDU-ČSL), Marek Výborný, filling the MŽP post is the responsibility of Andrej Babiš and Petr Macinka. "It is absurd when someone else makes this public, especially in such an arrogant way, suggesting in advance that the new minister for the Motorists will be his puppet. A puppet of someone who, as an MP, has no business interfering in the management of the ministry," Výborný stated.

The chairman of the Mayors and Independents (STAN), Vít Rakušan, stated that this is slightly optimistic news, but only after the nomination is made public will it be clear if the news is positive. "Hopefully it will be someone who does not question scientific knowledge, will not financially stifle national parks, and won't want to shed 'green blood'," he said.

TOP 09 chairman Matěj Ondřej Havel noted that without a specific situation, the change is quite difficult to evaluate. "In general, however, it is good that the position will finally be filled and won't be supplemented by Petr Macinka, who manages to cause embarrassment even on a part-time basis," he said. "On the other hand, for the Motorists, their personnel choices so far provoke more fainting than trust in most people, so expectations remain very low," he added.

"I am glad that the Motorists have finally come to their senses," said Pirate Party chairman Zdeněk Hřib. "Now all that remains is to stop causing embarrassment abroad, stop bullying journalists, reveal the party's real sponsors, and in the case of the climate, follow scientific facts," he added.

Escalated conflict between Turek and the President

In Babiš's cabinet, which was formed in mid-December, Macinka is currently entrusted with the duties of the Minister of the Environment while simultaneously leading Czech diplomacy. The government appointed Turek as the envoy for climate change after Pavel rejected him as a minister. Turek has long faced criticism for, among other things, racist and homophobic posts on social media. He has apologized for some statements, while denying authorship of others. His asset declaration and information suggesting he threatened an employee of the Saudi Arabian embassy years ago have also caused controversy.

Due to the refusal to appoint Turek, Macinka and Pavel entered into an escalated conflict. In support of the president, rallies were held today in hundreds of cities and towns across the Czech Republic, attended by hundreds and thousands of people in individual locations.

The Presidential Office stated last week, following a meeting between Babiš and Pavel, that the president is ready to appoint a Minister of the Environment and expects a new proposal from the Prime Minister. Babiš had previously said that Pavel would never appoint Turek—an MP and honorary president of the Motorists—as a minister, adding that he considers the matter closed. At the time, Turek reacted by saying that the Motorists had already made a concession to Pavel by nominating Turek to lead the environment department instead of the originally considered Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and that they would not make another concession.

Source: iDnes.cz