Photo: top09.cz
TOP 09 has presented the first three candidates for this year's Senate elections. The strong trio consists of an experienced politician and two prominent personalities in their field who have been close to public affairs for a long time. In addition to the current senator Herbert Pavera, the documentary filmmaker Břetislav Rychlík and sports legend Dominik Hašek will fight for the votes of voters.
Dominik Hasek's hockey achievements are certainly impressive. But much more important is Hašek's value orientation, and especially his courage to assert it in public debate. For example, today, when he is fighting against the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international tournaments, including this year's Olympics.
"Of course, when I was playing in the NHL for the Ottawa team called the Senators, I couldn't have imagined that I would one day choose to play for the real Senators. Today, my interest in social events and politics is so strong that I see this candidacy as an inevitable step in my life," he says. Dominik Hašek, who will seek the trust of the people in the Benešov constituency.
"Dominik Hašek defends clear positions that are in line with the values of TOP 09. He has also been involved in charity for a long time, which is close to my heart and says a lot about his personality," says TOP 09 chairwoman on Hašek's candidacy Markéta Pekarová Adamová. "Moreover, to make such a significant mark in the history of sport as he did requires enormous hard work and perseverance. That is why I believe he will be as useful in the Senate as he was during his hockey career."
Herbert Pavera defends Opava district
Our current senator for the Opava district would like to show Dominik Hašek how things work in the upper chamber of Parliament, Herbert Pavera. He is also the chairman of the Moravian-Silesian regional organization TOP 09, chairman of the Association of Municipalities of Hlučín Region for 18 years and mayor of Bolatice for 26 years, which not only managed to stop the population decline under his leadership, but also repeatedly succeeded in the Village of the Year competition and became a model of a successfully developing modern municipality.
"I very much appreciate the confidence of the TOP 09 Executive Committee in me for the next term of office. But I appreciate even more the trust of the voters. Six years ago, I received 15 900 votes, which showed me that I have this trust," says Herbert Pavera. "I would like to continue to offer people free legal assistance in solving their problems, to move forward not only the construction of the Hlučín bypass, and to continue to show that politics can be done decently and honestly. For our citizens."
Břetislav Rychlík dares to "his" Brno
A scout and searcher of topics, people and injustices is also heading to the Senate on behalf of TOP 09. He is a successful film and theatre director, but most people recognise him on the street for his acting roles. Břetislav Rychlík as a member of the Brno HaDivadlo, he was one of the initiators of the theatre strike and founders of the Civic Forum.
On 20 November 1989, he and his colleagues were the first to call for the overthrow of totalitarianism on Liberty Square and he became the moderator of the rallies. He has remained a vocal critic of extremism to this day.
"As a documentary filmmaker, I tried to bring to light the fate of people prosecuted by the previous regime, people on the margins of society, or to bring neglected social issues to the forefront. I am concerned about the divisiveness of Czech society and reckless populism. I see politics as a service to citizens, a clash of values based on the traditions of democracy and humanism. In this sense, I believe that my work in politics would be a continuation of what I have been doing all my life. In November '89, we gave our country back its democratic values and principles, and now it is clearly time to help do it again." says Břetislav Rychlík.
MARKÉTA VOLFOVÁ, SPOKESWOMAN OF TOP 09
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