Nearly thirty years ago, Monika Brzesková was a household name across the Czech Republic. Back then, as Monika Žídková (she married in 1999), she was known as the most beautiful woman in both the Czech Republic and Europe. This year, her name has returned to the spotlight. In October, she was elected vice-chair of KDU-ČSL, and who knows – next year, we might hear about her as a Member of Parliament.
How is life in Kravaře and generally in the Hlučín region? Have you recovered from the floods?
I am a big patriot. I love the Hlučín region, it is my home. There are many beautiful places here worth visiting. The September floods affected Kravaře as well, with water inundating the Dvořisko area and surrounding land along the river. The most damage was done to the castle park, where over forty trees, many old and rare, were toppled in a heritage-protected area. Their value is immeasurable. Currently, we are addressing some flood prevention measures, repairing bike paths, and cleaning waterways. We????re distributing funds from the State Environmental Fund to households, providing structural assessments, dryers, and other material assistance. We are doing our best to help households return to normal life as soon as possible. I am also very pleased that our government provided early warning about the floods and took specific steps to minimize damage.
In the 1990s, you won the Miss Czech Republic and Miss Europe competitions. If your daughter Nikol came to you and said, „Mom, I want to be a Miss too,“ what would you say?
As a good mother, I will always support my children in every way. So if my daughter wanted to try a Miss career, I would share my experiences and valuable advice. I would tell her to go for it and give it a try. Every experience is valuable and helps you grow. But for my daughter, that‘s already settled. She has always been drawn to medicine and is now studying to become a doctor in Brno.
You studied education. How do you think today‘s schools in the Czech Republic are doing?
I graduated from Ostrava University, specializing in primary education, and now I work closely with our school principals as a local administrator. I can‘t praise the collaboration enough. Both schools in Kravaře are doing very well. It‘s true that much depends on the principal‘s personality and approach. Today‘s schools are well-equipped, with an emphasis on technology and specialized classrooms (language labs, IT).
After being elected mayor and regional assemblywoman, KDU-ČSL elected you as vice-chair with the highest support among the party leadership. What kind of party do you want to make the Christian Democrats into?
It‘s a significant challenge and responsibility for me. In the party‘s leadership, I am responsible for regional activities, local governance, and public administration. I‘d like to apply and utilize my experience from municipal politics. The Christian Democrats have a long tradition in Czechia. We must and want to provide solutions for everyday problems and regain the trust of those who decided not to vote in the last elections. Currently, strengthening the KDU-ČSL brand is important more than ever, so that it is seen not only as a traditional party but also as a force capable of addressing present-day challenges.
I studied at a Catholic theological faculty, and I must say I find your party‘s policies in recent years too right-leaning, not social enough, and lacking in concern for the poorest. Don‘t you think Marián Jurečka‘s social reforms are too harsh?
You must be referring to the pension reform... I dare say it‘s the most important law that‘s been passed. No one else had the courage to tackle it, even though we all know it was necessary. Marián is thinking about the future, and we must not forget the family aspect – caregiver allowances for each child have been preserved, the family assessment base benefits caregivers, there‘s support for working retirees, and much more. There are many positives, and political representatives across the spectrum agree that pension reform is needed. However, until now, no one had the courage to see it through.
You‘re clearly the most popular politician in your party. Will you run in next year‘s parliamentary election?
I wouldn‘t say I‘m the most popular politician just a month after being elected to the party leadership. The Christian Democrats have many women in politics with outstanding achievements – Šárka Jelínková, Michaela Šojdrová, Marie Jílková. I‘m glad to be part of the KDU-ČSL Women‘s Association. I have many successful women around me, not just in municipal politics. I am still considering whether I will run for the Chamber of Deputies. In the coming months, we have primaries, and I need to decide by then. I still have some time.
The author is a European editor of Deník
CV BOX
Monika Brzesková (born Žídková, June 11, 1977, in Kravaře) is the vice-chair of KDU-ČSL, a member of the Moravian-Silesian Regional Assembly, and mayor of Kravaře.
She graduated from the Secondary Pedagogical School in Krnov and later studied Primary Education at Ostrava University.
In 1995, she won the Miss Czech Republic and Miss Europe beauty pageants.
Since 2006, she has been a member of Kravaře‘s municipal assembly, and since 2014, its mayor. In the 2020 regional election, she was elected to the Moravian-Silesian Regional Assembly, a post she defended n 2024. She became vice-chair of KDU-ČSL in October 2024.
She and her husband Petr Brzeska have two children, daughter Nikol and son David. Together, they founded and co-own Miss Cosmetic, a company specializing in natural cosmetics.
