The entire nation had an opportunity to watch a real-time, live-action comedy series called “Quest for the New Police President.” Except for the Czech police temporarily having to do without their biggest boss, the whole situation actually may appeared rather amusing: the agreement at Prague Castle, (now former) Police President Oldřich Martinů being personally decorated by President Václav Klaus upon his departure from office, and the prime minister branding the selection commission a “cat-dog,” i.e., an unweildy and strange animal.
Subsequently, a press conference was convened where Civic Democrat (ODS) representatives – above all Parliamentary Deputy Jan Vidím – claimed to know with absolute certainty that a deputy interior minister called Čech was to become the new police president. Followed, two days later, by Prime Minister Petr Nečas’ (ODS) statement conveying to the public that his worst misgivings — that the winner would be a foregone conclusion — proved correct (who cares that only two days earlier the ODS “knew” something completely else). It all seemed very funny indeed.
Petr Lessy, who had been a deputy police chief in South Moravia, was appointed Jan. 25 by Interior Minister Radek John. Although Nečas continued to hold misgivings, he did not veto the appointment.
But here, I am afraid, is where it stops being funny: the prime minister wanted a little eye-to-eye meeting with the incoming police president.
But here, I am afraid, is where it stopped being funny: the prime minister wanted — and on Jan. 23 got — a little eye-to-eye meeting with the incoming police president before he agreed to not oppose the appointment.
What exactly did Nečas wanted from Lessy? What questions did he ask him? I am sure these questions didn’t pertain to tenders that have been called into question — Lessy certainly has nothing to do with those, nor can he be blamed for the existence of the cat-dog that chose him. So what is the topic of their conversation?
Unfortunately, we have already had plenty of similar conversations in the past. It is not that long ago that Prime Minister Nečas invited the then-police president in the company of the commander of the anti-corruption police and they were not discussing football I am afraid.
So what might have happened at the Nečas–Lessy meeting? There could have been various promises on the table the prime minister would like to hear in exchange for not having opposed Lessy’s appointment as police president. Allow me to speculate on what Nečas might expect from Lessy:
- A promise to appoint a protégé of Nečas (of Langer) to become the deputy for criminal proceedings.
- A promise that the newly appointed police president will do his utmost to sweep the Drobil case under the carpet.
- A promise that the newly appointed police president will not only be willing to to visit the prime minister in the company of criminal investigators who work on specific cases but mainly that he will be prepared to provide information to which the prime minister is not legally entitled.
I think at this point we should do away with amusement for amusement’s sake and demand an explanation from the prime minister about what he gained from a meeting with Lessy. Never before in this state have the basic principles underlying the functioning of democracy been put under threat so publicly and ostentatiously as in the past days.
The author is a prominent Czech decision-maker who prefers to remain anonymous. Czech Position, however, vouches for his authenticity.
