Czech Constitutional Court orders government to allow president to attend NATO summit

The Czech Constitutional Court on Wednesday ordered the government of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš to ensure President Petr Pavel's participation in the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara in July. The court granted the president's petition, ruling that the cabinet must provide necessary cooperation, transport, and accreditation for Pavel to join the Czech delegation.

The decision ends a months-long dispute between the head of state and the government over who should represent the country at the alliance's summit. Previously, the Babiš government had decided that the delegation would be led by the prime minister himself, along with Defense Minister Jaromír Zuna and Foreign Minister Petr Macinka. President Pavel challenged this by filing a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court, arguing that representing the state abroad is one of his constitutional powers and that the government cannot unilaterally prevent him from attending NATO summits.

The judges emphasized that presidential participation in NATO summits is an established practice that should be maintained. However, the court has yet to rule on Pavel's broader complaint regarding the division of powers between the president and the government in foreign affairs.

Babiš had earlier called the president's attendance illogical, despite the fact that in the past both prime ministers and presidents have attended such events. NATO, for its part, stated that it does not wish to interfere in this internal dispute.