Czech government's refusal to transfer aircraft to Ukraine was retaliation against Czech president – foreign minister's letter

Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka has indicated that the government's opposition to transferring L-159 light attack aircraft to Ukraine is linked to Czech President Petr Pavel's unwillingness to appoint Filip Turek as Minister of the Environment.

As reported by iDnes, Macinka writes to presidential adviser Petr Kolář about the need to appoint Turek as Minister of the Environment.

"If not, I will burn bridges in a way that will go down in political science textbooks as an extreme case of coexistence [between branches of power – ed.]," Macinka wrote.

"On this issue I have the support of the prime minister, not to mention the position of the SPD [the Freedom and Direct Democracy party – ed.]," Macinka added.

"If he does nothing, or at least does not agree to some negotiations regarding Turek at the Ministry of the Environment, the consequences for him (and not only for him) will be very unexpected," he continued.

In his message, the foreign minister also mentioned Petr Pavel's statements on transferring L-159 aircraft to Ukraine. After reports appeared in the media about a possible sale of these aircraft and Pavel's related comments, Macinka openly criticised Pavel, and soon afterwards the government declared that selling the aircraft was impossible.

"As for the L-159s for the Ukrainians – the only reason they will not get them is that Petr Pavel recklessly talked about it to the media. I could have persuaded Tomio (just as I spoke with him about the ammunition initiative). But now it is impossible. Even this truth may become known to many people (on Wednesday)," Macinka wrote to the presidential adviser.

With this, Macinka made it clear that it was he who had managed to persuade the anti-Ukrainian Speaker of Parliament Tomio Okamura, leader of the coalition party Freedom and Direct Democracy, of the need to continue the ammunition initiative for Ukraine – and that he could have done the same regarding the aircraft. However, as he said, due to media publicity this is now allegedly impossible.

To public controversy, Czech President Petr Pavel said he had been subjected to blackmail and intimidation by the foreign minister, who is seeking to appoint his controversial party colleague Filip Turek as a minister. Pavel, for his part, refuses to appoint Turek because the latter had previously been investigated over homophobic, racist and antisemitic comments in the past, as well as allegations of violence made by his former girlfriend.

Following Pavel's statement, opposition figures called for the foreign minister's resignation.