Petr Macinka, the leader of the Motorists party, told reporters yesterday that “the climate crisis in the Czech Republic is over”, after he was inaugurated as the temporary head of the Czech Environment Ministry.
“I would like to reassure the Czech public and all ordinary citizens and to tell them that the climate crisis in the Czech Republic is over as of today,” Macinka said.
“I don’t know if this will also reassure those activists who live off the climate crisis,” he added.
He said the ministry’s priorities could therefore be redirected more towards nature protection. The budget is also a priority, he noted.
“Conservation has been, is and will always be one of the top priorities for the Motorists and should be for any political party,” Macinka said.
Greenpeace members have been protesting against Macinka’s appointment as Environment Minister, and yesterday morning they climbed the ministry building and put up a banner reading “Defend Nature”. The banner was still hanging on the building at around 5pm.
Hundreds of people protested yesterday on Hradcany Square in Prague against the Motorists being at the head of the ministry. Last week, hundreds of students demonstrated in Prague and other cities for the same reason.
The Green Circle Association of Environmental Organisations wants to meet Macinka, in order to establish professional and substantive communication between the ministry and environmental organisations, they announced in a press release yesterday. At the same time, they said, they are ready to criticise negative intentions and defend nature and citizens’ health from harmful proposals.
Jaromir Wasserbauer will be the political deputy for the Motorists at the Environment Ministry, as appointed yesterday by Macinka, who has also become the Foreign Minister.
Under the coalition agreement, two more deputy environment ministers will be appointed, one from ANO and one from Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), Macinka said, without announcing the names.
Macinka is to lead the Environment Ministry on a temporary basis, as proposed Environment Minister Filip Turek has been unable to meet President Petr Pavel due to health problems.
The president has reservations about Turek’s participation in the cabinet, and previously described it as unlikely that he will become a minister. Turek has faced criticism for posts on social media. He has apologised for the remarks but denied authorship of some of them. Other controversies relate to questions about his property declarations, and reports that he threatened a Saudi embassy employee eight years ago.
Macinka said Slovak Environment Minister Tomas Taraba would defend the Czech Republic’s position and interests at Tuesday’s meeting of environment ministers in Brussels. According to Macinka, Turek agreed this with Taraba during a visit to Slovakia in early December.
Macinka said he was prepared to lead the foreign and environment ministries for the necessary period of time, but he said it was not good for the long term. He reiterated that he was counting on Turek to lead the ministry.
