ANO to tell position on presidential candidate on Jan 11

Lany, Central Bohemia, Jan 2 (CTK) - Prime Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) will only announce the position of ANO on whom to support in the forthcoming presidential election after the government meeting on January 11, Babis told journalists after the New Year lunch with President Milos Zeman on Tuesday.

The first round of the election is set for January 12-13.

Zeman and Babis also discussed the confidence vote for the Babis minority government in the Chamber of Deputies. Babis will ask for it next Wednesday.

Babis said the presidential election had not been discussed during the lunch, also attended by his and Zeman's wives.

ANO has not expressed support to any of the nine candidates, but some of its senior officials are close to Zeman, who seeks re-election.

Zeman has repeatedly backed Babis in the past months. He appointed him as the prime minister and also promised to him that he would give him the second try at forming a government if his first fails to win lawmakers' confidence.

Zeman also supported Babis in the Capi hnizdo EU subsidy fraud case, in which Babis may be implicated.

Zeman said earlier he would come and back Babis's government in the Chamber of Deputies.

Babis said Zeman had confirmed his plan on Tuesday.

Babis said he was not about to meet representatives of other parties before the confidence vote.

Since their position is too categoric, they cannot be expected to change their mind, he added.

Babis said he would try to convince them by his speech in the Chamber of Deputies.

Although most parties have denied support to the ANO government, the Communists may tolerate it.

Babis said he hoped the parties would change their mind after the presidential election and that he would manage to make them tolerate or enter his government.