Hello, dear fellow citizens,
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we meet in a difficult time. The number of people infected with coronavirus is growing, the number of hospitalized people is growing, the number of seriously ill patients is growing, and worse, the number of deaths is rising. Once upon a time, when the death toll was very low, we could have comforted ourselves in the fact that covid could be cured, but of course death cannot be cured, and it is a huge loss to our society, to the families of those who have died, to all of us.
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Let me remind you of a beautiful sentence from the Talmud, one who saved one human life saved all of humanity. We are in a situation where our health professionals are fighting for human lives and I would like to express their respect, admiration and thanks to them.
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But each of us can fight for human lives. We only have one weapon at our disposal, because the vaccine does not yet exist. This weapon is a small piece of cloth that we hang on our face and which protects us from infection and, conversely, we protect others from this infection. And that is the problem that I would like to talk to you about above all. Don’t let this weapon go out of your hand. Don’t be seduced by people who know nothing about the epidemic, but because of media attention are willing to say things that harm our society. I mean, of course, the so-called anti-sculptors, but also others, dentists, cardiologists, singers. One singer even stated that Bill Gates was to blame for the coronavirus. Ignore the opinions of these people, because they are not professional, and trust the experts, because only they can help us. We have summoned the winner of the first wave of coronavirus, Professor Prymula, and I firmly believe that he will be successful in the fight against the second wave. I fully support the government’s action, although I think it could sometimes have been better communicated.
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But let’s not just talk about government action now. Let’s talk about what we can do ourselves. And if we get rid of the idea that we take off this piece of fabric for our comfort and endanger our loved ones and ourselves, if we persevere, then we will win, and then each of us has helped save a large number of lives. Look at Sweden, for example, there are already over six thousand dead now, not to mention Israel.
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The time of talks is over. I asked the Minister of the Interior, Jan Hamáček, that the Police of the Czech Republic use its authorization and fine the non-wearing of veils where veils are mandatory. After all, something similar had now been introduced by Bavaria, by France. The problems we have are faced by almost every country on the globe. We are not alone in this, which of course is not a consolation.
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Dear friends, when the dust settles on the battlefield, when this epidemic leaves, as all epidemics have left so far, we will add up profits and losses. Let us do everything we can to pass this test with honor, not cowardice, not comfort, but responsibility to ourselves and to others.
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Thank you for your attention.
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Miloš Zeman, President of the Republic, October 16, 2020
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