Position for Turek: he will be the Green Deal Commissioner, he will be given an office at the ministry after Hladík

The deputy and honorary president of the Motorists' Party, Filip Turek , has become the new Commissioner for Climate Policy and the Green Deal , whom President Petr Pavel does not want to appoint as Minister of the Environment. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) told reporters after Monday's government meeting that this is a temporary solution.

At the same time, the government abolished the position of the plenipotentiary for international climate negotiations, the Prime Minister added. The Ministry of the Environment will continue to be led by the chairman of the Motorists, Petr Macinka, who is temporarily in charge of this ministry . According to Babiš, he does not want to deal with the matter further, the government is functioning, and a coalition clash cannot be expected.

On Monday morning, Turek said that he could be a government representative and indirectly lead the ministry. A government representative cannot lead the ministry, not even indirectly, agreed lawyers contacted by ČTK. According to them, this would be circumventing constitutional rules. "This is not a constitutional solution, it is a technical solution. We will need the president for a constitutional solution," said Macinka, adding that the president, according to him, is violating the constitution. The ministry will continue to be managed by a team of deputies and, according to Macinka, the new representative will also have a say.

According to Macinka, Turek will inherit the office at the ministry from former minister Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL). Turek will coordinate climate policy between ministries, will also be involved in negotiations with individual expert groups, will focus on the economic impacts of the changes being considered and will represent the Czech Republic at some EU and informal international meetings, said Macinka. According to him, the step will lead to a certain relief for him, as Macinka also heads the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"We want the government's trust and we don't want to hear the name Turek on television," the prime minister said when asked about further steps in the dispute with the president. According to him, he nominated Turek based on the coalition agreement and does not want to deal only with his case. He refused to comment on the letter in which the president explained his reasons for not appointing Turek to the ministerial position, saying that there is no clash of coalition parties and the government is functional.

"Mr. Turek will definitely work at the Ministry of the Environment and will have a big challenge there," he said, adding that he will deal with emission permits, for example. According to him, Macinka is a full-fledged minister and has only one car, which saves the government money. "I want to get the Turek case off my chest, so he can prepare for the fact that we will be convincing other countries in Europe how to save Europe. I will not deal with it anymore," he said.

"We will not reveal further steps, it is a political matter between the president and the Motorists," added Macinka, adding that the Motorists continue to insist on Turek's nomination and appreciate the prime minister's loyalty.

Source: Hospodářské noviny