Pre-Election Interviews: Fiala Spends Time at His Cottage, Turek Collects Antiques, Okamura Reads

What hobbies do the leaders have? How do they spend their free time? | Video: Deník

What are their hobbies and how do they spend their leisure time? That was also one of the questions moderator Kateřina Perknerová asked in the unique pre-election interview series A Different Perspective by Deník. She spoke with all seven leaders of the political parties that opinion polls predict will succeed in the upcoming autumn elections to the Chamber of Deputies. Deník.cz now brings another short cut from the series.

The election leaders—Andrej Babiš (ANO), Petr Fiala (Spolu), Tomio Okamura (SPD), Vít Rakušan (STAN), Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates), Kateřina Konečná (Enough!), and Filip Turek (Motorists for Themselves)—all took part in this unique interview series A Different Perspective.

These were hour-long or even longer interviews, with a format inspired by the popular foreign show Deep Talks, which goes beyond traditional political topics.

Deník.cz is the only media outlet that has presented these exclusive interviews with all seven main election leaders.

Passion for Old Objects—or for the Cottage

Filip Turek, election leader of Motorists for Themselves, said that he owns three or four Aston Martin cars. “I like historical objects—watches, old cars. When someone collects antiques, they often have Nazi or Communist items among them as well,” he explained.

Petr Fiala, leader of the Spolu coalition, admitted that as a city person, he never imagined he would own a cottage. “But when I later became rector, I began to feel that it was right to have something in nature. We bought a cottage. And the most amazing thing is that it’s truly quiet there,” he said.

According to Pirate Party chairman Zdeněk Hřib, Prague’s Jižní Město has the advantage of being close to nature, such as the Hostivař Reservoir and other green areas, including ponds. “You can enjoy nature and walks there plenty,” he described.

SPD chairman Tomio Okamura spends about two hours before bedtime reading. “I’ve been doing it practically my entire working life. I usually read information from abroad about what’s happening around the world,” he explained about his reading habits.

Love for Nový Jičín Region, Festivals, or the Classroom

Enough! leader Kateřina Konečná said she loves her home region. “I love everything around Nový Jičín. My family is there, and I love going back. That view of Starý Jičín Castle is a matter of the heart for me. But of course, when I was 21 (when I entered politics—editor’s note), I had no idea where life would take me,” she remarked.

Music festivals are a favorite pastime for ANO chairman Andrej Babiš. He recalled a photo from the 2016 Votvírák festival, where some men were heading into the portable toilets. “And now I was there standing with them again,” he said, noting that he still goes to festivals.

Back when he was not yet Minister of the Interior but was already an MP, STAN leader Vít Rakušan regularly stood at the lectern as a teacher. His Monday parliamentary days always started later, at 10 a.m. “From 8 to 9:45 I was still teaching two hours. It was always fun, because at that time I already had a bit of a recognizable face,” he recalled.

Source: Deník