Czech presidential candidates united in pro-EU, NATO stance

Regardless of their political affiliation, Czech figures vying for top office are in agreement over the Czech Republic's direction.

A poll conducted by ČTK showed that Senator Marek Hilšer, entrepreneur Karel Janeček, economist Danuše Nerudová, General Petr Pavel, trade union activist Josef Středula, and the former chairwoman of the Energy Regulation Office Alena Vitásková are all in favor of a pro-NATO and pro-EU course for the Czech Republic, as well as closer ties with the U.S.

Pavel, who is a former high-ranking representative of the Czech military and NATO says that belonging to "the community of democratic countries and their institutions, primarily EU and NATO" would bring Czechia stability. Pavel ranks first in a poll conducted by the STEM/MARK agency, and cited by E15.cz, which questioned roughly a thousand respondents at the end of September, with 23 percent approval.

He added that, with the EU and NATO, the Czech Republic "cannot just sit in silence, nod and then criticize the outcome," but instead try to change things that it disliked within these organizations. He added that, given the U.S.'s status as "the most influential country of the democratic world," it was in Prague's best interest to "have the best possible relations" with Washington.

The runner-up in the September poll, with 17 percent support, was former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. He hasn't yet announced whether he planned to run in the presidential elections.

Nerudová, who ranked third in the poll with 14 percent support, said she wanted the Czech Republic to be "proud and safe." Additionally, Prague should "not be afraid to actively defend its national interests among other countries," as well as to "contribute to the further development of the European and international partnership."

The other question in the poll was about the planned changes, including those in personnel, for the Presidential Office (KPR) and its operation.

Pavel said he wanted to "keep the maximum number of experts who perform their work professionally to the benefit of the Czech Republic and who do not yield to political or lobbyist pressures."

In addition to a team that meets "high professional and ethic demands," Nerudová announced plans to remove the barriers and checks at the entry to the Prague Castle, which "should be a cultural and social crossroads where people may meet without useless limitations."

The candidates who ranked lower than Nerudová in polls – Senator Pavel Fischer and former Minister of Finance Alena Schillerová, both of them with 8 percent, did not take part in the survey.