Czech president challenges exclusion from NATO summit delegation in court

Czech President Petr Pavel has filed an appeal with the Constitutional Court after the government excluded him from the country's delegation to the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara.

“I consider the decision to exclude the President of the Republic from the delegation unprecedented,” Pavel said in a video published on Facebook.

The president added that he had asked the Constitutional Court to clarify the respective powers of the president and the government regarding the representation of the country in international affairs, specifically at NATO summits.

Pavel criticised the government's decision to leave out “the president, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and a former senior NATO official.” He served as chairman of NATO’s Military Committee from 2015 to 2018.

According to Czech media reports, the Constitutional Court has already received the appeal and is expected to consider it under an expedited procedure.

The Czech government decided on June 22 not to include Pavel in the national delegation. The delegation will instead be led by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and will also include Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Petr Macinka, as well as Defence Minister Jaromir Zuna.

By Jeyhun Aghazada