The government will not declare a state of emergency for the time being due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus.
Health Minister Adam Vojtěch (ANO) sought to declare a state of emergency, while Interior Minister Jan Hamáček of the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) considers it a premature option.
“We will ask the regional governors for a clear opinion on whether they require the declaration of a state of emergency,” Babiš explained, adding that the governing council for health risks will meet with the heads of the regions on Tuesday morning.
“If we have this request from the governors, the government will immediately meet, discuss the proposal, and possibly declare a state of emergency,” he added.
According to the chief hygienist Pavla Svrčinová, the state of emergency would help, especially in overloaded hospitals, where more and more people are hospitalized with COVID.
Medical students could help out there in an emergency.
Several politicians opposed the state of emergency during the day, including the head of the crisis staff, Hamáček. “On behalf of the interior ministry, we see no reason to declare a state of emergency at this stage without holding meetings of the crisis staff in the regions and for these staff to consider whether this situation cannot be resolved by declaring a state of emergency, ” he said.
The head of the Education Ministry, Robert Plaga (ANO), was also critical. “A state of emergency because vaccinated medical students have to do menial jobs in hospitals instead of studying? I hope the chief hygienist and the Ministry of Health are not serious,” the minister tweeted.
And some MPs were also against it. “The introduction of the state of emergency is not sufficiently justified by the government, which is why it does not have our support at the moment,” STAN head Vít Rakušan said.
