Final Word from Thursday, June 25, 2026

Pres. Petr Pavel informed PM Andrej Babiš on April 8 that he intended to lead the Czech delegation to the Nato summit in Ankara in early July, but yesterday's edict from Chief Justice Josef Baxa of the Constitutional Court allowing Pavel to attend the event says nothing about the president taking the leadership role. It doesn't, because Pavel didn't ask for that role. In fact, Pavel misrepresented his own letter to Babiš in his complaint to the Court. Pavel omitted the Czech phrase for "lead" (v čele delegace), presumably because he wanted to reduce the likelihood that his motion would be denied. By misleading the Court, Pavel induced the Court itself to misrepresent what has been established practice. The Court stated that the president has always "attended" Nato summits, with only two health-related exceptions. In fact, the president has always led the delegation. Instead of affirming this past practice, Baxa's Court is breaking with past practice and decreeing that the president may for the first time simply tag along. [ Turkey ]