A spokeswoman for the Central Military Hospital in Prague, Jitka Zinke, announced on Monday that the condition of Czech President Milos Zeman is stable. However, his meeting with Prime Minister Andrej Babis will not take place on Wednesday.
Zeman was hospitalized on Sunday and is in the intensive care unit. It is handled by a board of specialist physicians. The details of the diagnosis of the disease or diseases that the president suffers from were not disclosed.
In the current situation, Peter Fiala, who had aspired to the presidency, quit trying to meet the head of state. Leader of the SPOLU coalition, the head of the right-wing Civic Democratic Party, which won the largest number of seats among the coalition parties in the parliamentary elections that took place last week., which is treated as the future prime minister also by the second coalition – Berstan, made up of the Pirate Party, mayors and the Independent Movement.
Fiala said on Monday that negotiators for the two coalitions would start talks on forming a government on Wednesday. He rejected suggestions that he would speak with the leader of the ANO movement, current Prime Minister Andrej Babisz about forming the new government.. Ano had the most seats out of the four political entities that brought their deputies to the lower house of parliament, but in terms of votes cast, the SPOLU coalition came first.
Negotiations for the two coalitions, which together hold 108 of the 200 seats in the House of Representatives, are taking place without the usual appointment of a chief negotiator by the president. In the unanimous opinion of the Constitutionalists, they can proceed without hindrance, since it is not a provision resulting from the Constitution. On the other hand, the Babis government cannot resign without the participation of the president. This must take place on the day of the first session of the new Parliament at the latest, which must meet no later than the thirtieth day after the elections.
After accepting the resignation of the current government, the president appoints a new prime minister and, on his proposal, appoints the members of the government.
The new prime minister has 30 days to submit a disclosure and motion for a vote of confidence. If he loses the vote, he resigns, and the president may ask him and his ministers to hold office until a new government is formed. It is up to the President of the Republic to choose another candidate to head the government, but he is not bound by any deadline.
The scenario of events arising from the provisions of the law would violate the president’s illness and hospital stay. The Senate Constitutional Committee meets next week to discuss the applicability of Article 66 of the Constitution, which sets out procedures for removing the president from office.. To this end, both houses of Parliament have to recognize that the President is unable to perform his duties due to illness.
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