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Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis and President Petr Pavel represented Czechia at the NATO summit in Ankara in an unusual arrangement that drew attention after the two leaders' delegations remained largely separate throughout the day.
Unlike other countries represented by a single senior figure in the official setting, Czechia was represented by both Babis and Pavel. The two leaders also appeared positioned far apart in the NATO photo, reflecting a broader political dispute over who should represent the country at the alliance's key summit.
According to a circulating claim, the Czech government initially excluded Pavel from its official delegation. Pavel responded by filing a legal case against the government. Following a court decision in his favor, he was added to the delegation before traveling to Ankara. The claim also described Babis as pro-Russian and Pavel as pro-NATO.
Babis and Pavel traveled to the leaders' dinner at the NATO summit in separate motorcades, despite departing from the same hotel.
The arrangement reflected the wider pattern of the day in Ankara, where the prime minister's and president's delegations largely operated independently.
The situation stems from a months-long dispute between the Czech government and the head of state over who should represent Czechia at the NATO summit.
The unusual Czech representation at the summit also drew international attention.
U.S. broadcaster CNN noted the arrival of two separate Czech government aircraft carrying the president and the prime minister, describing the situation as linked to an "obscure domestic political dispute."
According to the Czech government, the use of two aircraft was justified by security considerations.
The Presidential Office, however, argued that the trip could have been made using a single plane.
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