Lawyers say country’s parliamentary democracy under threat

Three Czech lawyers have launched a public petition against the Jiří Rusnok government calling it a threat to parliamentary democracy in the country. The petition accuses President Miloš Zeman of trying to usurp power from Parliament and claims that his disregard for the balance of power in the lower house and the wishes of parliamentary parties undermines the democratic values which the country re-embraced after the fall of communism. It appeals on parliamentary deputies from all parties to put aside their narrow political interests and join forces in defending the country’s parliamentary democracy. The internet petition has been signed by over 400 people.