Sobotka pardons Zeman

A few hours after accepting ANO's nomination last Wed. of Ivan Pilný as the next finance minister, PM Bohuslav Sobotka told journalist Kateřina Perknerová of Deník that he hoped Pres. Miloš Zeman would act "without undue delay" in swearing Pilný in. Sobotka used similar language the next day and said that he had a jurisdictional complaint ready to file if Zeman did not. The Castle announced yesterday that Pilný would be sworn in today, to which Sobotka said he is glad that he would not need to file a jurisdictional complaint with the Constitutional Court. He did think, though, that Zeman could have acted quicker, he said. This was a very important statement and amounted to a pardon for any perceived stalling by Zeman. Nineteen days to dismiss a minister/party chairman was pushing it, Sobotka in effect said, but was still within the bounds of the Constitution. In a political sense, Zeman has set a constitutional precedent, and Sobotka has confirmed it.