Zeman demands loyalty

President Miloš Zeman expressed his support for the ANO-Social Democrat minority coalition in a speech at the lower house of Parliament ahead of Wednesday’s confidence vote in Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s government.

He praised the government’s programme statement, in particular its call for a 10-year investment program into infrastructure, both at the municipal and national level.

Ahead of President Zeman’s speech and formal debate, MPs from the conservative opposition party TOP 09 left the chamber to protest the fact that in exchange for their toleration of his government, Mr Babiš has made policy concessions to the Communists.

Another opposition party, the Christian Democrats, protested by unrolling a banner featuring the Soviet red star and declaring they would vote against any government relying on Communist support.