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Jindřich Šídel’s regular Saturday gloss about things that move politics and society and which you may not have noticed or didn’t want to notice.
It is not true that the ANO delegation took part in the negotiations on the so-called pension reform, which we do not need at all, at the Prague Castle on March 28.
In fact, on this morning, a group of ANO MPs consisting of Schillerová, Havlíček and Juchelka went for a walk to Prague Castle. While passing through the second courtyard, an unknown, visibly confused bearded man started calling to them from the window of the Office of the President of the Republic: “Alen, Karl, Aleš! I’m glad to see you. Could you please give me some advice?’
Vice-President Schillerová eventually recognized the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, in the man. Considering that it is not proper to refuse the invitation of the President, the ANO delegation agreed to a short courtesy visit. The ANO representatives were brought into a dark room where there was no light, because the Office of the President of the Republic was also affected by the high energy prices caused by the inaction of the incompetent lying government of the five-coalition group. In addition, a jukebox played military marches very loudly throughout the meeting. (For the sake of completeness, we state that A. Schillerová ordered coffee with milk, K. Havlíček tea, and A. Juchelka, as usual, received nothing.)
Due to the almost zero visibility and completely unsuitable acoustic conditions, it was impossible to identify the other participants in the meeting and the topic. At one point, Vice-President Schiller overheard a fragment of the conversation and, when asked by Vice-President Havlíček what exactly was said, she repeated aloud the statement she had caught: “We agree to increase the threshold for retirement.” Subsequently, both expressed their disapproval by visibly shaking their heads (Juchelka after a while also) and after leaving Prague Castle, they condemned a similar idea with the words “ugh, shame, we will never allow that and the boss was not there”.
To the great surprise of all those involved, the Office of the President of the Republic subsequently sent the alleged minutes of the alleged meeting, which none of the participating members of the ANO movement remember.
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We are convinced that no similar meeting could have taken place, which is paradoxically proven by the alleged minutes in which the principles that should have guided the meeting are stated:
“1) Good will – all actors enter the discussion with a genuine interest in dialogue with the other party.
2) Argument based on data and analysis – all actors are ready to support their claims and arguments with data and analysis.
3) We focus on the future – we won’t get bogged down in what anyone has done or not done, said or not said.”
The ANO movement emphasizes that these principles are completely incompatible with its principles, ethics and way of politics, and that it would never join negotiations based on these points.
Vice-President Schiller would like to add to the above an explanation of her alleged statement from 2019, when she should have declared: “The report of the Ministry of Labor on the state of the pension system talks about raising the retirement age for those in their forties and younger.” Even this simple measure would have a major positive effect on the sustainability of the system.”
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Vice-President Schiller does not deny that she made this statement, but additional facts need to be added.
First, Alena Schillerová held the position of Minister of Finance in 2019, which she no longer holds today.
Secondly, since Alena Schillerová is not currently the Minister of Finance, but the chairman of the strongest opposition club, it is her full right to say absolutely anything, because she bears no responsibility for it anyway.
The ANO movement states that, under these circumstances, further negotiations on strategic issues of the development of the Czech Republic make no sense for it, even in the presence of the President of the Republic.
The ANO movement is ready to take over government responsibility after the next elections and is already calling on all political forces in the country for constructive cooperation.
