Motorists MP and honorary chair Filip Turek, whose nomination as environment minister was recently rejected by President Petr Pavel, has become a government commissioner for climate policy and the Green Deal, Prime Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) said after a cabinet meeting yesterday, adding that it is a temporary solution.
The government also abolished the position of commissioner for international negotiations on the climate, Babis said. He added that he did not want to deal with the matter further, stating that the government was functioning well and that a coalition conflict was not expected.
The government of ANO, the Motorists and Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) will formally ask the lower house of parliament for confidence on Tuesday, and the vote is likely to take place on Wednesday evening, according to parliamentary speaker Tomio Okamura (SPD).
The Environment Ministry will continue to be led by Foreign Minister and Motorists leader Petr Macinka, who was appointed as a temporary head of the ministry. He said the Motorists stood behind Turek’s nomination and appreciated the prime minister’s loyalty.
Turek suggested yesterday morning that he could be a government commissioner and head the Environment Ministry indirectly. But lawyers who spoke to CTK agreed that a government commissioner could not be in charge of a ministry, even indirectly, because this would circumvent 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 he would continue to run the Environment Ministry together with the deputy ministers, and Turek as new commissioner would also have a say.
Macinka also said Turek would sit in the office of former environment minister Petr Hladik (KDU-CSL).
Turek will coordinate climate policy between ministries, negotiate with individual expert groups, focus on the economic impact of proposed changes, and represent the Czech Republic at certain EU and informal international meetings, Macinka said.
“We want the government’s confidence, and we don’t want to hear Turek’s name on television,” said Babis, when asked about further steps in the dispute with the president. Babis added that he had nominated Turek on the basis of the coalition agreement and did not want to be only dealing with this issue. He refused to comment on the letter in which the president explained his reasons for not appointing Turek to the cabinet.
Babiš also refused to comment on Turek’s statements in Ukraine on Friday, saying that each of the coalition parties has different voters. “We are not a herd like the (former) coalition, you will not succeed in dividing us,” he said.
“Turek will definitely work at the Ministry of the Environment, where he will face a major challenge,” Babis said, adding that Turek would deal with issues such as emission allowances.
“We will not reveal our next steps. This is a political matter between the president and the Motorists,” said Macinka.
