After serving as a former prime minister and presidential candidate Andrej Babis said he would not help Poland in the event of a hypothetical attack, the politician was criticized. “Mr. Babiš seems to live in a different world,” said his opponent, Petr Pavel. The head of the Czech Foreign Ministry assured of the will to defend the Poles.
The politician’s controversial remarks came during Sunday’s debate ahead of the second round of the Czech presidential election. When asked if he would send Czech troops into open conflict if Russia attacked Poland or the Baltic states, Andrej Babis He replied, “Of course not. I think we have to talk about peace.”
His opponent Peter Pavel he then felt that Babiš “probably lives in a different world”. “When you are already a member of such an organization (like NATO – editor’s note), not only do you benefit from it in terms of collective security, but you also have to add something to it. And it’s our commitment to share when someone else is under attack,” he said.
The statement was quickly corrected. Former Prime Minister he explained on Twitter that he didn’t want to answer a hypothetical question about invading Poland or the Baltic States. “I am convinced that this will not happen. To prevent war is the duty of the politicians of the world. But if there were an invasion, of course I would abide by article 5 (North Atlantic Treaty – ed .)” – did he declare.
However, the words resonated widely and many Czech politicians began to distance themselves from them. “I apologize to all Polish citizens and other allies. The obligation deriving from our NATO membership is valid and will remain so, despite what Andrej Babiš said in today’s debate. he wrote Deputy Prime Minister on Twitter Marianne Jurecka.
The heads of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Defense have also raised the issue. “Czeches know very well what the Polish slogan ‘For our freedom and yours’ means. We are not only neighbors, but also strategic partners and the Czechs will always be ready to defend the Poles. he stated head of the ministry of foreign affairs Jan Lipavsky.
Head of the Ministry of National Defense Jan Czernochov in an interview with the Seznam Zpravy portal she pointed outthat NATO membership is based on the principle “one for all, all for one”. “The government knows it, the majority of society that supports Alliance membership knows it. MP Babiš should also know about it, because it is an essential guarantee of the security of the Czech Republic,” she added.
“Andrej Babiš is angry. Today we were able to prove it again. she said while the former rector of the University of Brno Dancer Nerudovawho took third place in the first round of the presidential election.
On Monday afternoon, Babiš once again returned to the subject, noting that he strongly objects to the misrepresentation of his Sunday statement. “I have never questioned Article 5, which is the collective defense of NATO. I just didn’t want to imagine that there could be a Third World War.” stressadding that he thought it was “clear” in the context of the debate.
“I also wrote the same to Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki. I also asked President Zeman to say the same to President Duda,” he added.
