To get even a half-hour of the Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies, Radek Vondráček's time is no mean feat. His schedule keeps changing constantly (understandable, given current circumstances) so being flexible is necessary in order to meet with him. But once you do, there is no rush, the conversation is calm and relaxed.
Your press secretary says that your schedule is a living organism that keeps changing constantly. Has there ever been a day when you turned off your phone or computer since you entered high politics?
I admit I have an addiction. Especially to my phone, as something can happen at any moment. When I'm on vacation, I can go maybe half a day without it but I need at least a moment after that to respond to emails, texts, and missed calls… When I would have no signal, at my cabin, for instance, I would always go looking for it. Despite all that, we were rafting down the Ohře river last year, and one of the camps where we stopped had no signal whatsoever unless you were willing to climb the surrounding mountains. So yes, last summer I actually did have a day when I was unreachable. It was beautiful there, by the way, the Ohře is a wonderful river.
The elections are coming up. Let's imagine that all, or at least the majority of, the winning parties will join together against the ANO in one big coalition. You know the inner workings of the Government as well as the Chamber – can you imagine there being six or seven ruling parties?
My imagination knows few bounds, but the question here is what a stable, functional, and effective government looks like. Even though the voters are aware of the existence of a coalition, it is still a coalition of either two or three parties. Meaning five potential partners. At the very least five, because it may not be enough. In the ANO movement, what we are taken aback by is the fact that these coalitions clash in such fundamental issues. Several pages worth. For instance, TOP 09 is unequivocally in favor of same-sex marriage, while the KDU-ČSL is pushing an essentially opposing agenda, establishing marriage as the union of man and woman, trying to embed this in the constitution. And there are many other topics like this one, be it the Euro currency or other social and political matters. These two- and three-party coalitions are united under a single banner – Andrej Babiš. They are not united by something, but rather against something. So I am aware of what they are opposed to, but what they are actually in support of, I cannot quite tell. And my experience – the political as well as the psychological in a sense – tells me that this will not last, as things just don't work this way. After all, even in today's Chamber, be it the Organizational Committee or Administrative Board meetings, each of these parties, despite being the members of a single coalition, take different stances on certain topics. And if a unifying factor does not come along… I don't like making predictions, but it is very likely that things will turn out to be unstable.
It seems as though every party has declared who they will definitely not join forces with in a coalition should they win the elections. Will they even be able to put together the 101-majority they need this way?
It is very shortsighted. I understand that these kinds of statements get thrown around prior to elections. But if you read the Talks with TGM, he mentions that it is the duty of every politician to find the inner strength to come to an agreement. I have a different kind of insight into politics, having been here for 8 years now, and I believe that those who are given votes and a subsequent mandate are obligated to form a government. To say, "We're not working with this or that party," right off the bat is opposed to the interests of the state as a whole. I do not agree with that. I understand that there can be a clash of opinions, even a heated discussion, but we are all here for a reason. And one of the reasons why the Parliament exists is to give the country a government.
Due to Covid, among other things, quite a few bills have been left unfinished or are stuck in the approval process. Which ones should the new government attend to as a priority? Which ones are essential?
I can't say what the structure of the new government will be. Each party club has its priorities, as does each ministry and movement, and so on. In not knowing the composition of the government, I cannot know its priorities. Nevertheless, there are things we are currently unable to finalize, which we are in dire need of. These are issues regarding implementation, and we are in danger of an inquiry from the European Commission, which could cost us a hefty sum. These are often simple things, like the third reading of the Railroad Bill. We have not gotten around to it. We are aware of 9 bills that came back from the Senate, with more on the way. We have 20 third readings to get through. The outcome of a normal meeting can be anywhere between 12-13 bills. If we were to get through all the things I would like to, we are looking at those 9, plus the 20, as well as the others that are on the way. We also have a backlog of reports and international agreements that need to be reviewed and approved. So there are things which we could have normally handled without any issues that we simply cannot take on at the moment. As to what is the main priority, I can only speak for myself. One of my top priorities is the Lobbying Act, which the majority of developed European countries have. It sets the rules for lobbying in Czechia, which can be seen as a bit of a gray area, leading to the word sometimes being used in a derogatory way. But when lobbying is done right, it is a very useful thing. The bill is currently at third reading, it has been included on the agenda several times, but the discussion has never been finalized in a way that would allow us to vote on it. There is one last chance this month. But even if it does not work out, I am not giving up. I am adamant that this bill will improve not only the Chamber's standing but also that of the entire Czech Republic. Because for instance when the GRECO group of states reports on the situation in Czechia, they always expressly mention the missing regulations on lobbying. This is giving us a bad name in the field of international politics. So if we cannot pass this bill come election day, I will make sure to present it again in the next term. Another thing we will not be able to approve – which makes sense with the elections just around the corner – is the MP Code of Ethics. It has faced a certain silent resistance in the Chamber, however, the document exists, it has been worked on. Very well, let the new Chamber take care of it. But let them do it as soon as possible.
What about the judicial system? We have heard you say that it is in good condition, but criticism can still be heard – the fact that a number of cases have been dragging on for a substantial amount of time, for instance...
But that is no longer true. Not too long ago, representatives of the judicial system themselves have refuted certain statements that Mr. Šlachta made in this vein. It is a tale that has been told many times, but things have improved markedly. The terms are no longer as bad as they once were. We are on par with other European countries in this regard. I feel that the justice system is essentially a conservative environment, and a certain amount of continuity and small everyday tasks are what is important to its inner workings. The worst thing is for someone to try and go charging in, turning things on their head. Our justice system is functional, despite there being room for improvement. Yes, it could certainly do with a new criminal procedure code, which is still being worked on. It is high time for it to reach the Chamber.
Let's talk about you. You come across as very calm and collected during the interview, but I stumbled on an article saying that you once jumped on top of the Chamber lectern wielding a guitar. Are you a calm or an emotional person?
I am calm when playing the guitar [laughs]. But yes, I am emotional, it is just that you could not tell by looking at me. I react more calmly than you would expect, especially in extreme situations. Only later does some stress come over me.
Do you have to control yourself often in the Chamber?
Yes. And if I did not, I would be angry with myself. I consider it a failure when I allow myself to get provoked, and it annoys me afterwards.
But if someone bottles things up for too long, they tend to bubble up to the surface and the person needs a release. How do you go about that? I know people in high management who have a punching bag in their office...
Well, I certainly don't need one of those [laughs]. I like to be positive. I find my release and relaxation among friends. Any place where there is positive energy. The guitar goes hand in hand with that. I had a great time singing at the Czech and Slovak Gathering in Velká Javořina. The folklore singers allowed me to join them and they made the whole thing into a bit of a karaoke [laughs]. Because I do not know all the songs from the Slovácko region, they were giving me hints about the lyrics ahead of time. That was a lot of fun.
As far as I know, you are a regular at these gatherings...
I try to be there as often as I can. It was cancelled last year, but I attended it every year before that. And I will keep attending whatever job I have or whatever age I am – same as many others who keep coming back year after year. It is not about politics. It is really about meeting people, the feeling that permeates the place.
I assume that you believe the ANO movement will remain in the government after the elections.
“Believe” is not the right term. I would rather use sports terminology. When I go out on the playing field, I am there to win. When I used to play volleyball regularly, I would get angry when we were not doing well. My teammates would say, “Come on, we just came to have fun!” My answer is, “Yes. I came to have fun, but I also came to win, and I want to win.” Look at what athletes often say, that they are playing this or that match to enjoy themselves. Sure. But I will definitely enjoy myself more if I win!
Radek Vondráček (born December 30, 1973, in Kroměříž) is the Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic and member of the Board of the ANO 2011 movement.
He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the Masaryk University in Brno. He entered politics in 2013 and became an MP after winning the parliamentary elections. He headed the ANO movement's ticket in the Zlín region in autumn 2017. He received the highest amount of preferential votes. He once again swore the oath of allegiance and was elected the Chair of the Chamber. He became the vice-chair of the ANO movement in 2019. In the years 2014–2017, he was the representative and deputy mayor of the city of Kroměříž.
#The Reconstruction of the State initiative named him the most vigorous fighter against corruption among all the MP's for two years running.
He is a Moravian patriot, still living in Kroměříž. His family's roots run deep there, he himself is a sixth-generation local.
#He is married and has a daughter and a son. He is an avid movie fan and a lifelong sci-fi and fantasy reader. He loves animals, folklore, sports, and motorcycling. When time allows, he tends to his bees and plays music.
Always politics
When someone enters high politics, they become public property in a sense. Do people recognize Radek Vondráček in the streets? “Sometimes they do, but I am more of a second-grade celebrity. For instance, I was at the Regional Office in Zlín a while back, signing in with the doorkeeper, and she says, 'Name?' Yes, sometimes people do recognize me, sometimes they will even strike up a conversation. I don't mind at all as long as they are polite, I am a talkative person. But I see the effects elsewhere. Wherever I go, the talk turns political. Not too long ago, I spoke to Professor Kolář. He said that it is the same for him, whoever he talks to, they end up talking about bad backs, aching joints, and such. I would like to have a normal chat with someone about sports, or bees maybe. But it is just the way things are. I have made my peace with the fact that people want to talk to me about politics. Sometimes even friends who I would not have expected it from.”
Beekeeping is one of Radek Vondráček's hobbies.
reklama
