Unlike outgoing President Václav Klaus, the newly elected Czech president, Miloš Zeman, told the daily Právo that he intends to fly the EU flag at Prague Castle. In what appears to be a snub of the eurosceptic Vaclav Klaus, Zeman also said he plans to invite EU president Jose Barroso to his inauguration ceremony next month. He also told the daily that he would consider handing over the presidential pardon agenda to the Justice Ministry.
In another crowd-pleaser, Zeman announced he has no intention of granting widespread presidential amnesties during his tenure. Klaus’s surprise amnesty declaration last month stirred sharp controversy, particularly because it halted the investigations of a number of large-scale fraud and corruption cases. Klaus leaves office on March 7. While he supported Zeman in his campaign, the new president-elect in recent weeks seems to have been trying to distance himself from Klaus.
