Czech President Petr Pavel has entered into an open conflict with Foreign Minister Petr Macinka. On Tuesday, he held an extraordinary press briefing and published the full content of two SMS messages which, he said, were delivered overnight via his adviser Petr Kolář. Pavel stated that the messages amounted to pressure and that the language used by the minister “bears the hallmarks of blackmail,” something he considers incompatible with the standards of a democratic state. The dispute centers on the appointment of a proposed member of the government. According to the president, Macinka had for some time been trying to influence his position on the nomination—either through direct contact or via the president’s aides and advisers. The turning point, Pavel said, came with the two late-night text messages relayed through Kolář, even though the minister knows the official address and procedures of the Office of the President. Czech media link the matter to the candidacy of Filip Turek, associated with the Motorists for Themselves movement; Pavel has previously signaled he does not want to approve that nomination, pointing to controversies around Turek’s statements and conduct that have triggered public criticism. The president stressed that the messages suggested political consequences if he maintained his refusal, and he said he interpreted this as an attempt to force his hand. Pavel announced he would notify the relevant security services and ask lawyers to assess whether the messages could meet the legal threshold for wrongdoing. Czech reports indicate police have already received an impetus to look into the matter following a notification from the president’s office. At the same time, opposition figures have begun calling for political consequences for the foreign minister, arguing that the clash undermines the credibility of state institutions and damages relations between centers of power. Macinka rejects the allegation of blackmail; in public remarks he has argued that the conflict reflects “normal” political pressure and negotiations, and that—by his account—the real issue is the president’s “unconventional” approach to appointing members of the cabinet. The affair also revives a longstanding, not fully settled question about how far the Czech president’s role extends in the process of appointing ministers and whether, and under what circumstances, the head of state may refuse a nominee put forward by the government. Commentators note that the current standoff could become another test of constitutional cohabitation and the relationship between Prague Castle and the cabinet. The dispute is unfolding at a sensitive moment: the Czech government was formed only weeks earlier after parliamentary elections, and parties with a sharper agenda on issues such as the EU, migration, and climate policy play a significant role in the coalition. For now, it remains unclear whether the matter will end as a political storm and an effort to “close the chapter,” or escalate into formal proceedings—both on the law-enforcement side and potentially in a broader constitutional dispute.