Czech Republic: Interior Ministry selects 8 presidential candidates

Prague

The Czech Interior Ministry has registered eight candidates for the January direct presidential election, turning down the bids of three of eleven serious candidates, Sovereignty chairwoman Jana Bobosikova, economist Vladimir Dlouhy and businessman and senator Tomio Okamura.

The petitions with people's signatures in support of the three candidates include too many invalid data. As a result, their number of signatories sank below the required 50,000, the ministry said on its website. The candidates can file an appeal against the decision with the Supreme Administrative Court (NSS).

The eight registered candidates include three nominated by deputies or senators and five who submitted petitions with more than 70,000 signatures, which prevented their ousting over invalid data.

Fischer and Zeman who are favourites of the election according to public opinion polls also had invalid signatures - more than 10 percent of the total, but they collected many more than required.

The incumbent President Vaclav Klaus's second and final possible five-year mandate expires in early March.

The first round of the country's first direct presidential election is due on January 11-12.
The election might be delayed if some of the eliminated candidates turned to the Constitutional Court that has no deadline for giving its verdict.

Read more: Interior Ministry selects 8 presidential candidates | Prague Monitor