Turek Wants to Work as Envoy Without Pay, Will Focus on Emissions Allowances

MP and honorary president of the Motorists party, Filip Turek, views his position as government envoy for climate policy and the Green Deal primarily as a political rather than an executive role. He will issue recommendations and position papers and intends to focus first on emissions allowances, which he considers disadvantageous for the Czech Republic, as well as on simplifying emissions tariffs. The politician said this on Saturday in the TV Nova discussion program Za pět minut dvanáct (“Five Minutes to Twelve”). Turek believes that President Petr Pavel could still change his mind and appoint him as Minister of the Environment.

According to his statement, Turek accepted the post of envoy as a compromise, because some agendas at the Ministry of the Environment need to be addressed urgently. As his first step, he wants to coordinate with foreign partners on emissions allowances and prepare an analysis of what can be done to counter them. He also wants to focus on the automotive industry. The MP reiterated that he does not want to receive a salary for his work as envoy.

According to Turek, the president exceeded his powers by not appointing him as minister and is failing to fulfill his duties. The MP believes that Pavel has a personal issue with him and wants to convince him of his qualities. “I believe there is still a chance that he will change his mind. Simply to show over the course of months that I do the job well and that I understand it,” he said. At the same time, he suggested that Pavel should have greater political experience for the position of president and pointed to his communist past. “He approved the invasion of troops in 1968,” Turek stated. For that reason, he believes Pavel should be more lenient toward his own missteps.

President Has Repeatedly Refused to Appoint Turek as Minister

Pavel has repeatedly refused to appoint Turek, explaining that the MP has repeatedly demonstrated a lack of respect for the Czech legal order. The number, intensity, and long-term nature of this behavior indicate that in his case it is not a matter of one-off excesses, for example stemming from youthful recklessness, the president stated in a letter previously sent to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO).

On Monday, the government appointed Turek as government envoy for climate policy and the Green Deal. According to Babiš, this is a temporary solution. The environment portfolio is currently overseen by Foreign Minister Petr Macinka (Motorists). According to Macinka, the Motorists continue to insist on Turek’s nomination.

A government envoy cannot lead a ministry, not even indirectly, lawyers previously contacted by the Czech News Agency (ČTK) agreed. According to them, this would constitute a circumvention of constitutional rules. Macinka stated that the Ministry of the Environment will continue to be managed by a team of deputy ministers, with the new envoy also having a say. According to Macinka, Turek will inherit an office at the ministry from former minister Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL). Turek will coordinate climate policy across ministries, will also engage in negotiations with individual expert groups, focus on the economic impacts of the proposed changes, and represent the Czech Republic at some EU-level and informal international negotiations.

Source: Deník.cz