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Summary for: Pavel says he paid out of pocket for Morocco flights and return to votePresident Petr Pavel said Friday that he paid approximately CZK 456,000 from his own money for a flight to Morocco and a separate return trip to Czechia to vote in the municipal elections.
In a statement published by Prague Castle, Pavel said he paid EUR 3,750, approximately CZK 91,000, for his seat on the initial flight and EUR 15,000, approximately CZK 365,000, for the journey connected with voting.
He stressed that the Presidential Office neither paid for nor organized his private trip. His statement followed questions from governing coalition lawmakers about whether he had personally covered the costs.
President explains private flight arrangements
Pavel traveled to Morocco in early October for a holiday that included a desert expedition. He flew aboard a private aircraft that, according to iDNES.cz, belongs to billionaire Pavel Hubáček, founder of the Creditas group.
The president said the aircraft had been chartered for the Fesh Fesh team participating in the Rallye du Maroc.
“The organizers offered us spare seats on board,” Pavel said in his statement. He accepted the offer and agreed to pay EUR 3,750 as his share of the flight.
Pavel said he wanted to address questions that had emerged while he was abroad and unable to respond.
He described the explanation as important for transparency and openness, while also objecting to political intrusion into his private life.
Election criticism prompted an additional journey
Pavel briefly returned to Czechia on Oct. 9 after criticism of his original plan to miss the municipal elections because of his holiday.
The announced absence drew objections from members of the public and politicians across the governing coalition and opposition, particularly given his previous calls for people to vote.
He cast his ballot in Černouček in the Litoměřice district and acknowledged that his original decision had been an error of judgment. He then returned to Morocco.
For that journey, Pavel said he used a private Moroccan air carrier and paid EUR 15,000 from personal funds as his share of the overall cost.
Fellow expedition participant Tomáš Šebek arranged the flight and accompanied him, along with Pavel Kubíček and a member of the presidential protection service.
Pavel subsequently returned from Morocco on a scheduled commercial flight Thursday, Oct. 15. The statement did not specify the cost of that final flight, so the CZK 456,000 figure covers the two earlier travel arrangements he detailed.
“I believe this explains and closes the matter,” the president said.
