Schwarzenberg launches phone campaign for Czech presidential race

Zeman and Schwarzenberg gained 24.2 and 23.4 percent of the vote, respectively, in the first round of the direct presidential election on January 11-12.

They will contest the run-off on January 25-26.

His rival Milos Zeman wants to focus on Internet discussion and to speak with the media as much as possible, spokeswoman for Zeman's team Hana Burianova has told journalists.

Zeman also plans to catch up with Schwarzenberg at social networks because he seems to be scoring more points there.

In the days to come, Schwarzenberg's team also plans to intensify its contact campaign with visits and debates in pubs across the Czech Republic. In this he will be supported by a number of prominent artistic personalities.

Petr Gazdik, chairman of the Mayors and Independents (STAN) movement, an ally of Schwarzenberg's TOP 09, said some 1,200 mayors associated in it will take to the streets to discuss with the general public on whether TOP 09 leader Schwarzenberg is the right candidate.

They will also invite residents of their towns to beer, Gazdik said.

On Monday, the STAN sent one million crowns to the account of Schwarzenberg's campaign.

"In our view, Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg is the best mayor in the Czech Republic," Gazdik told journalists in the afternoon.

Zeman, too, wants to meet the public, although this will not be a contact campaign, but informal meetings.

"Within his programme, Zeman will meet people both in his Vysocina region, in Prague and anywhere else," Burianova said.

"We are not planning any big concerts or a contact campaign," Burianova said.

On the other hand, Schwarzenberg's team is preparing concerts across the Czech Republic and he wants to spend this Sunday in Olomouc, north Moravia, and in Prostejov, south Moravia.

Winning over Moravia, the eastern half of the Czech Republic, is one of the Schwarzenberg's objectives as his position there was weaker than Zeman's in the first round.

In the final of the campaign, Zeman wants to mobilise leftist voters and the undecided who did not vote in the first round.

He stressed that Schwarzenberg is responsible for the current government of Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democratic Party, ODS).

Some papers published the following adds today: "Stop this government. Vote for Zeman!"

Zeman mainly relies on televised and radio discussions, Burianova said.

($1=19.270 crowns)

pv/dr

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz