Czech politicians have continued to discuss the flying of Ukrainian flags from public buildings, after new parliamentary speaker Tomio Okamura ordered the Ukrainian flag removed from the Czech parliament building last Thursday. Karel Havlicek, deputy leader of ANO, said in a debate on CNN Prima News yesterday that the Ukrainian flags should gradually be taken down, as they have fulfilled their purpose as a symbol and expression of solidarity.
ANO is negotiating the formation of the next government with the Motorists and Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), which is led by speaker Tomio Okamura.
MP Libor Vondracek, the leader of the Freedom Party who was elected on the SPD ticket in the October elections, said on Czech Television’s discussion programme yesterday that he would also take down the European flag from the lower house, while ANO deputy leader Radek Vondracek said he would not.
However, Vondracek (ANO) nonetheless urged “moderation” in the display of flags. He said it was a question whether the topic of flags should be discussed by some body, without specifying whether this should be a party, coalition or a parliamentary body.
Havlicek said he expects to take the Ukrainian flag down from the headquarters of the Ministry of Industry and Trade if he becomes minister. “Naturally, the flag will be taken down at some point, we will certainly not do it on the first day,” he said. “But I am of the opinion that flags should be taken down from public institutions, I see nothing wrong with that.”
Vondracek (SPD/Freedom Party) said he has long believed that only Czech flags should be on Czech buildings, adding that he would also take down the EU flag if he were the lower house speaker.
ANO’s Vondracek, for his part, said he would not remove the EU flag. He said Okamura’s move was a reaction to the outgoing governing coalition’s gesture of hanging the flag years ago. Okamura did not ask his coalition partners before removing the flag, Vondracek noted.
“I will be glad when the war of gestures is over,” he said, repeating several times that he did not want to get involved in the debate over whether the Israeli flag should also be removed from the lower house building.
The Ukrainian flag has flown at the lower house of parliament since the start of the Russian military invasion in February 2022, as a symbol of support for the embattled country. Politicians from the outgoing ruling coalition and the Pirates have described Okamura’s gesture as a shameful, cowardly and disgraceful move. As a symbol of their disapproval and an expression of solidarity with Ukraine, they flew Ukrainian flags from the windows of their parties’ parliamentary offices later on Thursday.
Czech Deputy PM Vit Rakusan (STAN) said on Czech Television yesterday that the Czech Republic was not the only country where the Ukrainian flag was flying.
MP Jan Bartosek (KDU-CSL) said Okamura’s step would isolate the Czech Republic from the rest of the world. “Taking down a flag is not just about taking down a flag, it is about giving a clear signal of which way the government will go,” said Bartosek.
