Czech PM survives first no-confidence vote

The coalition government of Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has survived its first no-confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies.

Some 84 opposition deputies voted for the government’s dismissal, falling short of the 101 votes required out of 200, Caliber.Az cites Czech media.

The crisis erupted after Foreign Minister Petr Macinka sent threatening messages to Czech President Petr Pavel, attempting to pressure him into appointing Filip Turek, a representative of the “Motorists for Themselves” party, as Minister of Environmental Protection.

President Pavel repeatedly refused to approve Turek’s appointment, citing his past legal issues, including investigations into homophobic, racist, and anti-Semitic statements, as well as accusations of violence from a former partner.

The opposition demanded Macinka’s resignation over the attempted blackmail and initiated the no-confidence procedure against the government.

In the end, Prime Minister Babiš announced that Turek’s appointment had been withdrawn from consideration and that the government would continue to operate.

By Khagan Isayev