Czech President Spends €15,000 on Morocco–Prague Dash to Vote, Then Returns to His Holiday
Czech President Petr Pavel spent €15,000 on a quick round trip between Morocco and Prague to vote in the elections. The private jet trip sparked controversy in his country and forced him to disclose his expenses.
After leaving for a holiday in Morocco on 2 October, Petr Pavel initially planned to miss the Czech municipal elections. Facing criticism, he changed his plans and returned to Prague on 9 October to vote in his village of Černouček, before heading back to Morocco.
For the trip, the head of state used the services of a Moroccan private airline, departing from Casablanca. The round trip personally cost him €15,000, his contribution toward the total cost of the flight.
A Morocco holiday that cost €18,750 in air travel
In an official statement published on 16 October, Petr Pavel detailed his expenses. His first trip to Morocco had already cost him €3,750. He had taken an available seat on a plane chartered by the Fesh Fesh team, which was competing in the Rally of Morocco.
In total, the president paid €18,750 for these air trips. He says he paid personally, with no financial contribution from the Czech presidency.
After resuming his holiday, Petr Pavel finally returned to Prague on Thursday 15 October on a Ryanair commercial flight from Nador, with a stop in Marseille, iDNES.cz reports.
