Czech president seeks court ruling to attend NATO summit in Ankara

Czech President Petr Pavel has filed an appeal with the Czech Constitutional Court, seeking a ruling clarifying the division of powers between the president and the government so that he can attend the NATO summit in Ankara, Türkiye.

Earlier, the Czech government excluded him from the country's official delegation due to ongoing political and policy disputes, Caliber.Az reports, citing Czech media.

The composition of the delegation was announced by the cabinet on June 22.

He has been a strong supporter of Ukraine in its ​defence against Russia, while Prime Minister Andrej Babis’s cabinet has scaled back support.

Proceedings on the competency dispute could take considerable time, with a final ruling potentially issued only after the NATO summit, which is scheduled for July 7-8.

Meanwhile, Babiš described the president’s actions as “ridiculous.”

According to Babiš, Pavel is conducting a campaign aimed at securing re-election in the next presidential vote, scheduled for 2028. The prime minister also argued that the president’s actions do not contribute to constructive dialogue with the government.

The Czech delegation to the NATO summit, as approved by the cabinet, will be led by Babiš. It will also include Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Petr Macinka and Defence Minister Jaromir Zuna.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov