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The dispute between the Czech government led by Andrej Babiš and President Petr Pavel regarding the representation of the Czech Republic at the NATO summit in Ankara continues even after a preliminary measure by the Constitutional Court. The government, in a meeting on June 29, 2026, confirmed that Prime Minister Andrej Babiš would lead the Czech delegation. However, it also included the President and his entourage in the delegation, based on the decision of the Constitutional Court.

According to Prime Minister Babiš, this year's summit is particularly important due to discussions about further commitments of member states to Ukraine. The Prime Minister stated that the Czech Republic cannot agree with proposals that would require member states to pay tens of billions of euros annually to support Ukraine. He also emphasized that the Czech Republic needs these funds primarily for its own budget, in part because it itself does not meet the two percent commitment for defense spending.

Babiš also suggested that the President's position on this issue may differ from the government's position. According to the Prime Minister, it would be in the interest of the Czech Republic for the dispute over participation in the summit to end. He called it unnecessary and damaging. He believed that the best solution would be for the President not to insist on his participation.

However, according to the Prime Minister, the government respected the decision of the Constitutional Court by including the President in the delegation. At the same time, it insists that both the informal dinner of leaders and the main session of the summit should be attended by a delegation from the government. According to Babiš, the government is prepared to declare that the President can represent the Czech Republic at the NATO summit next year.

The Prague Castle disagrees with the government's approach. President Petr Pavel stated in his statement that the way the government is approaching his participation in the summit in Ankara is in contradiction to the resolution of the Constitutional Court. According to the Castle, the court did not only instruct the government to ensure the necessary accreditation, but also to refrain from actions that would prevent or hinder the President's participation and that of his entourage.

The President argues that the government should proceed according to established practices until a final decision by the court. According to him, this means that the head of state should have the opportunity to represent the Czech Republic as the leading national delegation at both the informal dinner of leaders and the subsequent meeting of the North Atlantic Council. Pavel recalled that in the past, Czech presidents have led Czech delegations at NATO summits.

The Castle also points to the protocol aspect of the matter. According to the President, the government is not respecting the customs that are applied at high-level meetings of NATO member states. Pavel stated that he understands the government's interest in presenting its own policy in a sensitive international situation, but he offers a compromise solution: the Prime Minister would attend one of the two high-level meetings of heads of state at the summit, and the President would attend the other.

In his statement, Pavel said that he is ready to continue seeking solutions, even despite what he considers to be the government's uncooperative actions. This should be in accordance with the Constitution, the preliminary measure of the Constitutional Court, and protocol customs, and at the same time should allow both the President and the Prime Minister to fulfill their roles.

Therefore, the President called on the Prime Minister to engage in dialogue about the organization of the participation of the Czech delegation at the summit in Ankara. The dispute, therefore, did not end even after the government's meeting on Monday. The government claims that it has complied with the court's decision by including the President in the delegation, while the Castle argues that the President's actual participation must not be merely formal, but must correspond to existing practice and the President's position in representing the state externally.

gnews.cz - GH

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