Czech president appoints new Cabinet, urges stability, responsibility as NATO, EU member

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - Czech President Petr Pavel on Monday appointed a new government led by Prime Minister Andrej Babis, urging the Cabinet to provide domestic stability while acting as a responsible and constructive member of NATO and the European Union.

Speaking at Prague Castle, Pavel said the new Cabinet was formed following the October parliamentary elections and completed within the time frame agreed upon. The procedure adhered to constitutional guidelines and met public expectations, he added.

"I am very pleased that today we are concluding the process of forming and appointing a new government," Pavel said, noting that the Cabinet was appointed by Dec. 15, as agreed with Babis, Radio Prague International reported.

Pavel said he held individual meetings with nearly all incoming ministers prior to their appointment, focusing on policy priorities and leadership of their respective ministries.

He described the consultations as a standard part of the process aimed at clarifying expectations before ministers took office.

He warned that the new government is assuming power at a turbulent time marked by international tensions, economic uncertainty, and heightened domestic expectations. He called on ministers to help unite society and provide citizens with a sense of stability and direction.

Emphasizing the country’s foreign policy orientation, Pavel said the Czech Republic’s security and prosperity are inseparable from its membership in NATO and the EU. Without NATO, he said, the country would not be safer, and without the EU, it would lack economic stability and long-term prosperity.

He urged the government to be a reliable partner in both organizations, stressing that while disagreements with decisions made in Brussels or within NATO may arise, they must be accompanied by constructive proposals.

Pavel added that he would closely monitor the government's adherence to democratic standards, specifically the independence of public service media, the judiciary, public prosecutors, and security services.

The ANO, Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), and Motorists parties have formed a coalition to support the new cabinet, which has 16 members, including four deputy prime ministers.