The former face of the ODS, ex-MP Boris Šťastný would like to return to politics. He strives to be able to run for the Senate in the fall for the ANO movement. Why does he want to join a party whose rhetoric the government describes as a security risk?
The guest Ptám se já is former ODS MP Boris Šťastný.
Doctor and once influential member of the ODS Boris Šťastný worked in the House of Representatives from 2006 to 2013. He was also the party’s expert on healthcare and an adviser to Václav Klaus during his presidency. Eleven years ago, however, he left the ranks of the Citizen Democrats because, according to him, the party “abandoned its ideas. She betrayed her voters by not keeping what she promised them before the election and no one in the leadership has apologized for that and there has been no change in the party.”
Šťastný also stated at the time that he would like to found a new political party under the leadership of former president Václav Klaus. According to the exposlan, only he could save the ODS and the entire Czech right. Even with Klaus, however, Šťastný broke up over time (he sharply criticized, for example, his statements during the covid pandemic).
Now the former face of the ODS and the current treating general practitioner of the former president Miloš Zeman wants to return to politics, this time under the wings of the ANO movement.
Why is the former ODS deputy Babiš’s movement so attractive? How do you rate Andrej Babiš’s opinions? And how is President Miloš Zeman’s health?
You can play the entire interview in an audio player, in your favorite podcast app or in a video.
What was said in the conversation?
1:00 Will you or will you not run for the Senate in the fall for the ANO movement? – It will be decided at the end of April. I have some support in Prague 12. But, of course, the Prague organization and top management decide. We have been talking about it for some time, it is basically a candidacy against a purely political candidate, so it would be a very interesting fight. And if I get the trust from ANO, I will definitely go for it.
3:00 Why does a former ODS MP transfer to the ANO movement? – I haven’t really changed, my positions have remained the same, whether it’s on fiscal policy or other things. I work in healthcare and social services. I perceived a very positive influence of the ANO movement in the previous government on the lives of seniors, on care in the field of social services, healthcare and so on. YES, I have actually voted since I left the ODS and it was like a natural path. At first, my attitude was neutral, and over time I got closer ideologically, just as the individual ideas developed in ANO.
5:00 What are your reactions to this, even from ODS? – Does ODS still exist? I thought that the Civic Democratic Party was no more. Not for me anymore. Ten or twenty years ago it was the Civic Democratic Party, now it’s Together.
6:00 I really feel that this government is doing immense harm to the people in many ways. ANO is today the strongest political force capable of preventing this. This means that if I return to politics, the main point of the program must be a change of government. That is absolutely beyond debate and I believe that is terribly important for this country. – And those turns of opinion, which are typical for the ANO movement and its leader Andrej Babiš, do you not mind as a conservative politician? – It’s a different time.
8:00 There are many turns. Recently, she was very quoted with the correspondence option, when the program statement of the government of Andrej Babiš contained something completely different from what the movement is promoting now. Likewise with the adoption of the euro. – I am indifferent in this respect. I am unequivocally against the adoption of the euro, I am in favor of strengthening the role of the Czech Republic in the European Union, I am against the abolition of the right of veto, I am against illegal migration and the migration pact, against the Green Deal and so on. Those are my thoughts, I won’t change them.
11:40 What pension reform did the ANO movement prepare when it was in government for eight years? – This is a question for shadow minister Mr. Juchelka. Of course YES he has this ready, but now he is an opposition party. I am convinced that the agreement of all parliamentary parties is absolutely necessary in order for the pension reform to be long-term and sustainable.
13:00 Those questions are aimed at whether the criticism from the ANO movement, which we hear about the parties preparing the pension reform, is credible, when the ANO movement itself has not done anything for the pension reform in eight years in government? – It is certainly plausible, because if it did not succeed last time, the current coalition was in the opposition and there was a blocking of negotiations, so I repeat again that YES and other parliamentary parties that are in the opposition, that means, for example, the SPD, are interested in acting in that matter and find agreement. So now let’s see how well Minister Jureček and Mr. Petar Fial will be able to find that agreement. So far it looks sad.
15:00 The era of the ANO movement is also referred to as the era of subsidy policy, does that suit you? – I’m generally against subsidies – That’s why I’m asking. – If economists talk like this, they are certainly talking about the time of covid, and I would imagine that the debate would be conducted correctly.
16:00 The subsidy economy is an evil introduced by joining the EU.
17:00 When I listen to the way we talk together here about the time when the YES movement ruled during the covid era, it sounds as if the covid period didn’t really count. – You can’t count him. (…) It is not possible to base the rule of Petr Fiala’s government on the fact that covid was here, it is already gone, or that Andrej Babiš exists. Their whole policy together, their whole program was built on anti-babism. And they still have three years after they won the elections and have a coalition, they have a favorable president, they have a majority in the Senate, they have a majority in the House of Representatives, they have a government, they can’t have it anymore. And how do people live here? Do you think it is better than in the time before covid, during the government of Andrej Babiš? I do not think so.
20:00 And what about the crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, isn’t it a crisis comparable to covid? – It is essentially a local problem in Ukraine. Let’s face it, as a doctor I’m a pacifist, I’m all for saving people. And I can’t watch young guys shooting at each other from the trenches and no one trying to stop the war. Let’s talk about it. – So it is not an exceptional crisis comparable to covid? – I don’t think so.
22:00 What will you do as a politician of the ANO movement with what you criticize about Petr Fiala’s government? What is Boris Šťastný’s recipe? – I am not a politician of the YES movement, but if I am, I will stand by my positions. The first thing that is needed is for the people to realize that this government is harming them, that means that there has to be a change of government, it is necessary for ANO to get the strongest possible mandate to be able to build a government. And then one thing after another has to be managed.
23:00 The extraordinary meeting called by the government coalition discussed whether the YES movement is or is not a security risk for this country. Didn’t that scare you a little? – It encouraged me tremendously, because I have always been the kind of person who perceives such challenges.
24:00 (for correspondence election) You say that it will be unconstitutional, after all, you don’t know that, the elections are secret. – How can they be secret when you vote at home with your relatives? (…) I am convinced that this is undemocratic and unconstitutional, when the Constitutional Court decides, I will of course respect it, but I am absolutely convinced of it.
25:00 But we dodged that security threat. When, for example, Alena Schillerová talks about the fact that she would not increase defense spending, don’t you consider that a statement that is dangerous in a way, because we have a war not far from our borders? – She said it perfectly, she would put it on transport infrastructure, I would put it on healthcare.
30:00 How is ex-president Miloš Zeman’s health? – If all goes well, tomorrow, as announced, he will be released. Subsequently, we will take over it by default as before. This means that our general practitioners will travel to see him, we will indicate care and, of course, there will be home care nurses who will help him mainly with rehabilitation.
32:00 He is already walking, he is already rehabilitating in the hospital. I am convinced that this event that happened to him, which was very dangerous and was excellently managed medically, will not cause any permanent consequences. – Was former President Zeman in danger? – His life was not in immediate danger, but of course it was a performance that is risky.
I am asking, Marie Bastlová
Podcast Marie Bastlova. Hard talk interviews with people who have influence, responsibility, information.
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