Press Conferences

22. 11. 2007 10:49

Press Conference after the Meeting of the Government Held on 21st November 2007

Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the press conference after the meeting of the government. Let me welcome here the 1st Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Mr. Petr Nečas, the Minister of Health Care, Mr. Tomáš Julínek and the 1st Deputy Minister of Health Care, Mr. Marek Schneider. I ask the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs for his introductory speech.
Petr Nečas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, let me inform you on the course of today's meeting of the government. Apart from other issues, the government debated the proposal of deputies of the Social Democratic Party, Mr. Sobotka and others, who wanted to amend the Act on Value Added Tax. In other words, they wanted to decrease the reduced value added tax rate. The government, not surprisingly, took a negative stand to this proposal as its approval would result in the state budget deficit increase. The government also debated the State Programme for Support of Energy Saving and Use of Renewable Energy Sources for 2008, and it took positive stand to it. It also discussed the Report on Use of Recommendations of the Ombudsman for Legislative Changes given in 2006. It discussed the Initiative of the Czech Human Rights Government Council concerning the Use of Measures Restricting the Movement of Individuals in Providing Social Services. The government also approved the proposal, which was submitted by me, as the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs. It was the Proposal to Cancel the Agreement between the Czechoslovak Republic and the Russian Federation on mutual Social Security and on the Protocol to this Agreement. In other words, the agreement between the Czech Republic and the Russian Federation on mutual social security has been untenable for a long time. We tried for several time to agree with the Russian Federation on a new agreement, a modern agreement, which would be based on principles of coordination of social security, as it is common among developed countries. The government approved such agreement before the spring visit of President Klaus to Russia. Nevertheless, the Russian side was not prepared to conclude this new agreement and our response to this step is to cancel the agreement between the Czech Republic and the Russian Federation, or in the original wording – between the Czechoslovak Republic and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic of 1959. With regard to the fact that it is a presidential agreement, it will mean that the proposal will have to be approved by both chambers of the Parliament of the Czech Republic and then the agreement will be cancelled. We will of course continue in negotiations on conclusion of a new agreement between the Czech Republic and the Russian Federation. We are also convinced that cancellation of this out-of-date instrument will accelerate and make more flexible negotiations with our Russian partners on the new agreement on social security.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: I thank the Deputy Prime Minister and now the Minister of Health Care, Mr. Tomáš Julínek, has the floor.
Tomáš Julínek, Minister of Health Care: Good afternoon. I would like to explain why we are here together with the 1st Deputy Minister. A special part of the meeting of the government was held today, which we call a "conceptual part". The Minister of Health Care together with his deputies presented there fulfilment of important points of the programme of the government in the sphere of health care, I mean eight bills, which would be submitted to the government in next weeks. It concerned laws which would significantly change the health care, health insurance and would create rules; I regarded as necessary for the government to have possibility to be informed of the basic principles of these changes through the direct contact with my deputies. Nevertheless, we will discuss them again in the course of the debate on the respective bills. It concerns bills which amend the health insurance, I mean the Act on Health Insurance Companies, the Act on Health Insurance Supervision, the Act on Health Insurance, which is to stipulate claims of patients resulting from the public health insurance, The Act on Health Services, the Act on Health Rescue Service, the Act on Special Services, which will stipulate for example sterilizations a genetic manipulations and acts on education and university hospitals. You know that it is a great portion of laws, which are to create rules in the health care sphere at last, to make the environment on the health care sphere more transparent, to form clear terminology, so that all players could understand it, so that they would understand their positions, their roles. It is very important for patients, of course, who will be able to be better informed and will be able to better satisfy their needs in such a system. So, this was a content of the conceptual part of the meeting of the government with presentations of my deputies. I will ask my 1st Deputy Minister to add some details which were presented there.
Marek Schneider, 1st Deputy Minister of Health Care: Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, I just add information. We really regard as important in the framework of a mandate resulting from the Programme Declaration of the Government, in the framework of preparations of those key laws, which are nowadays really in the stage of comments procedure, to begin professional discussion with all the relevant partners; the logical beginning is to inform members of the government and also the representatives of all coalition parties on the individual principles and measures, which will result from these amendments. It means that we had an opportunity to discuss in detail with members of the government problems of health insurance, health insurance companies and also problems of health services in the Czech Republic generally. And last but not least, we also discussed issues of education and university hospitals and transformation of university hospitals and their optimization. I am glad to be able to state today that the individual laws and principles and those changes gained relatively strong and clear support of the government and that they would enable to begin a standard discussion and a comment procedure, which would lead to the articulated bill. I just remind you that the day "D", the day when these laws will come into effect will be 1st January 2009.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: I thank the 1st Deputy Minister of Health Care and members of the government and now there is time for your questions.
Ondřej Bílek, Tyden.cz server: Good afternoon. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister Topolánek is not present, nevertheless, I would like to ask whether the government debated the flight of the Prime Minister to Innsbruck and I would ask both ministers about this. And I would also like to ask whether if you fly to a journey to abroad, whether you also change the destination because of training reasons and whether you land in abroad.
Petr Nečas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs: I will be brief. It was not debated. I am of the opinion that the government of the Czech Republic has more important problems to be solved and second, I have never used a government aircraft in my position of a member of the government. In case I go for a business trip abroad, I always use an airline. Of course, in case of official state visit, the situation is quite different. In such a case the Prime Minister does not travel with an airline but he uses an army special aircraft. In other words, in case of an airline flight, as you certainly know, it would be a hijack I mean an act of terrorism, and I hope the Týden magazine does not call on me to do it.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Further question, please. The TV Prima.
Tomáš Drahoňovský, TV Prima: Good afternoon, I have a question to the Deputy Prime Minister Nečas. I would revert to the proposal of deputies of the Social Democratic Party. I would like to know whether you can summarize somehow, in spite of the fact that you are not the Minister of Finance, impacts on the state budget in case of approval of this proposal of deputies. Nevertheless, I would like to ask how do you regard the efforts of the CSSD to submit to the Chamber of Deputies and the government proposals which are in contradiction with your coalition agreement and which have to chance to be approved.
Petr Nečas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs: It is a pure populism, because these proposals are not neutral from the budgetary point of view; deputies must be aware of the fact that they would deepen the state budget deficit by tens billion, by about 40 billion crowns. It would be relatively high deficit. Second, the Social democratic party, apart from the fact that it acts in a populist manner, it also behaves hypocritically. I would like to remind you September of 2002 when it was the Social Democratic Party, the same men headed by Mr. Sobotka, who proposed increase of the reduced VAT rate from 5% to 7%. He who remembers it knows that all the social democrats voted for the proposal and the proposal was refused because then Deputy Chairwoman of the Chamber of Deputies, Mrs. Marvanová, member of the Union of Freedom, voted against it. In other words, if the Social Democratic Party criticizes somebody for increasing the reduced rate, it should also explain why it was good when it was proposed by this party and why it is not suddenly good now.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you, further question. Česká televize.
Martina Kvašová, Česká televize: Good afternoon. I would like to know why the Prime Minister did not come to the press conference and why the crew of Česká televize as the only one media subject had not been allowed to take photographs before the meeting of the government. Thank you.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: The Prime Minister did not come as he had not known that the meeting of the government would take so long. This is my answer to your first question. As to your second question, it is not true that the crew of Česká televize was not allowed to come we just expressed our disagreement to the non-standard behaviour, when a cameraman repeatedly used microphones and recorded present ministers, including the Prime Minister, unbeknown to them. The problem is that they did not know they were recorded and we regard it as unethical. Therefore we expressed our disagreement in this way. There is no ban, next time the regime will be normal again.
Petr Nečas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs: I would add to it that it is not the first press conference, in which only Deputy Prime Minister is present; it is not something extraordinary. Second, if Česká Televize do not know that tapping is unethical even from the journalist point of view, then I say that it is improper behaviour to tap somebody, who is talking unofficially.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Further question. One more question of Česká televize.
Alice Machálková, Česká televize: Information has leaked that the Intelligence Service warned that a pressure of the organized crime to state organs strengthened last year. I would like to know whether the government was informed about it and whether you debated it. Thank you.
Petr Nečas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs: The government did not debate this issue at this meeting. The government was not informed about it. The government has different organs, e.g. the Committee for Intelligence Activities or the National Security Council, which certainly dealt with information of intelligence service.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Further question, please.
Daniel Deyl, Týden magazine: I have a question to the Deputy Prime Minister Nečas. I would like to ask with whom has the Prime Minister so important meeting that he could not come. And the second question – do you or the government know what issues the Prime Minister discussed with our ambassador Koukal in Innsbruck? Thank you.
Petr Nečas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs: I admit that with regard to the fact that I am sitting here I do not know to whom the Prime Minister is talking to. That is not my business, I have my own programme. When I saw him last we was talking intensively to the Chairman of the Green Party, Mr. Bursík. As to your second question, I cannot answer it; we did not discuss it at the meeting of the government as I have already said.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: The TV Prima.
Tomáš Drahoňovský, TV Prima: Good afternoon once more. There will be a coalition meeting held after this press conference. I would like to know what its programme will be like or whether it is probable that possible comeback of Mr. Čunek to the government will be discussed, and whether you yourself would welcome the comeback of the Chairman of the KDU-CSL to the government after discontinuance of criminal prosecution. Thank you.
Petr Nečas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs: The issue of the programme of the coalition meeting, so called K9, is a matter of an agreement of three coalition parties. I am not one of their chairmen; you must ask those who are commissioned to provide information. As to the Chairman of the KDU-ČSD Čunek, I am convinced that the decision of the prosecuting attorney is a positive matter from the point of view of Mr. Čunek and from the point of view of the coalition. I am not an expert in the sphere of criminal law or the prosecuting attorney's offices, and therefore I am not sure if it is the final decision. Therefore any speculations are premature. It is not clear whether it is the final decision.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you, further question, please.
Martin Maruniak, TV Markíza: I have a question to the Deputy Prime Minister Nečas. You indicated a minute ago that you had not dealt with the incriminated flight of the Prime Minister, but still, I would like to know whether you are interested in it as a member of the same party, as his collaborator. Did not you ask him about it? Are not you interested in it? Thank you.
Petr Nečas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs: I must say that I regard it as a matter of the Prime Minister. I am sure that he uses all things in compliance with the law. Moreover, as a long-standing shadow minister of defence I know that the army fleet and its pilots must fly certain number of flight hours and to absolve certain number of landings according the respective regulations. From this point of view, and I do not want to offend the Prime Minister, there is no difference whether they fly with an empty aircraft, with a sack of sand or with the Prime Minister.
Martin Maruniak, TV Markíza: You answered a minute ago that you believed that the Prime Minister had used the aircraft sensibly. In case the suspicion of the Týden magazine is confirmed regarding abuse of authority of the Prime Minister, what would you do, what would be your response? I know that it is a speculative question, but still.
Petr Nečas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs: You yourself answered your question. I am not a man who is to answer speculative questions. Speculations are good for journalists, not for politicians. In other words, I will not answer speculative questions. I can just state that I cannot see any reason for doubts concerning actions of the Prime Minister.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you, Právo daily, please.
Jitka Götzová, Právo daily: Good afternoon. I will revert to Innsbruck once more. We heard several versions from the Office of the Government concerning reasons why the Prime Minister flied to Innsbruck. If I remember well, the Prime Minister said: "I was two days in Bulgaria and then I took four-day leave". It means that he did not mention Mr. Koukal – what can we think of it? Thank you.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: It was at the last press conference I think. If I remember well, the Prime Minister said it on his own free will; he was not answering any question. There was not reason for adding such information.
Jitka Götzová, Právo daily: He said ...
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: He said he did not know about the term as he had been in Bulgaria for two days and then he was on holiday. There was no reason for adding information about a meeting.
Jitka Götzová, Právo daily: Because the Office of the Government provided information that he had working meeting with Mr. Koukal, then that it was a private flight and then we were informed that he was on holiday.
Petr Nečas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs: I do not think that the Prime Minister must inform about every meeting. I do not inform you about it and I will not inform you about it. I am not going to inform you about the complete programme of mine, whom I meet, whether it concerns my working hours or my holiday. By the way, there was a question of the journalist from Právo daily – ask Mr. Zaorálek how he, as the Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies was using helicopters of the Ministry of Interior, whether he happened to shuttl between Prague and Ostrava, where he lived.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you, further question, please.
Daniel Deyl, Týden magazine: Good afternoon, once more. I would like to ask about the press release of the ODS, in which there was stated that the Prime Minister travelled by the army aircraft and that it was stipulated by the law and that he could not choose the way of transport. Nevertheless, the official version is that he went to Prague by car the following day. I do not understand how it is possible to travel by car one day and why it is not possible to do so the other day. I really do not understand it. Thank you.
Petr Nečas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs: It is clear that travelling issues are influenced by security reasons and it is the respective body of the Police of the Czech Republic which decides on the way of transport, including on assignment of security guard; it is not a matter of his decision. I would recall here a statement of one of former Prime Ministers, Mr. Špidla. He said that the Prime Minister is an institution. It means that we must treat him accordingly. In other words, he does not decide on the way of transport. Because of security reasons it is better that it is the respective security body of the Police of the Czech Republic, which decides on it.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you. Thank you for your attention and we will be seeing you next time.

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