Photo: Vít Hassan for PrahaIN.cz/Zdenek Hrib
Actor Michal Suchánek took a dig at the Prague deputy for transport and deputy Zdenek Hřib (Pirates) on social networks, which was reported by many Czech media. Even political rivals do not tolerate comments, for example, according to Ondřej Prokop (ANO), the traffic situation in Prague is turning into a tragicomedy, and humor is said to be the defense mechanism of the people of Prague.
“Mushroom, mushroom, show yourself to me, don’t hide in the ground. Stick your head out of your ass, the right mushroom isn’t afraid. I’ll kick you out right when you screwed up my traffic,” actor Suchánek sang to himself in the column and posted the video on social networks.
The PrahaIN.cz server contacted Zdeňko Hřib on the same day, that is, on Thursday afternoon. The latter did not respond, but in the meantime recorded a message to Suchánk, in which he mentioned that it is naive to think that he decides on closings from the table. “I cleared the way for you by taking public transport to work. The problem is that for many years all repairs have been delayed here.”
But political opponents do not agree with Hřib. According to Ondřej Prokop, the chairman of Prague’s ANO, the traffic situation in Prague is turning into a tragicomedy, and humor is said to be the defense mechanism of the people of Prague, who do not want to lose their temper because of Zdeňko Hřib. The name of the president of the Pirates should become synonymous with traffic collapse.
There is no proposal he is willing to accept, complains Prokop
Prokop of the server PrahaIN.cz said that it is impossible to cooperate with Zdenek Hřibe.
“There is no proposal that is willing to accept. We can try to help, bring concrete solutions, it always ends the same. Everything is arrogantly swept off the table. I experience it myself with my absolutely logical and apolitical demand for the coordination of traffic closures. For two years in the council, I have been proposing a system of effective coordination at the level of the municipality, city districts and city companies. So that the same mistake is not repeated, when Prague collapses simply because it will senselessly dig up backbone roads and at the same time detour routes,” he criticizes.
However, Prokop also includes Prague’s ODS in his criticism: “ODS won the elections, it has a mayor who is responsible for running the city. They not only keep Zdeňko Hřiba in the position of deputy for transport, but even for years blocked his removal, which we proposed several times. Together, they govern Prague with a mixture of elitism and contempt – they ignore people’s complaints, the suggestions of experts and the opposition. And the people of Prague perceive this very well.”
We manage the city based on data, Hřib told us in the past
As already stated, Zdeněk Hřib did not respond to the questions of the PrahaIN.cz server, but in the summer he told us that as far as the substantive level is concerned, traffic measures are planned in Prague by experts, traffic engineers, telematics experts who work in city companies
“The idea that I alone decide on this from the table is of course very naive. Achieving a safe environment that is attractive to all modes of transport, from pedestrians to motorists, motorcyclists and cyclists, and public transport passengers, is however very challenging. We manage the city on the basis of data, and compared to other European capitals, the traffic situation on the roads in Prague is quite average. For example, in the traffic ranking of the renowned company TomTom, which measures it according to satellite navigation, Prague is in 22nd place out of 39 European capitals,” he said.
“I am definitely not an opponent of drivers, as the opposition often spreads about me. I myself use a car when necessary, for example during large family purchases or when I go to visit my parents in Moravia. We are also massively investing in the huge infrastructure debt that our predecessors left us here,” he added, among other things.
Among the successes, he mentioned, for example, the Barrandovské bridge, the construction of the Trojská and Štvanická bridges, the construction of a new tram line at Wenceslas Square and near the Museum, but also the already completed tram line at Pankrác.
“We also have a valid permit for a new two-kilometer track from Libuš to Nové Dvory. And we brought the tram to Libuš from Modřany only recently. In the meantime, a new connection between Prague 4 and 5 is being built on the Dvoreck bridge, which we are building, which will be part of our key project – the tram circuit. The Dvoreck bridge should open as early as next spring. We are also putting Libeňská soumostí in order.”
The columns are still there, says Nacher. Suchánek also recorded another message
According to MP Patrik Nacher, Prague is atypical in that there are practically always convoys, as he told our editors.
“Prague is unbelievably messed up, there is zero coordination. All of us who travel around the world, to larger metropolises than Prague, can see that what is happening in Prague is unbelievable. Everyone is used to having traffic in the morning or afternoon rush hour, I remember that when I was in the United States of America, you have eight-lane highways and they are completely full, but once you are off rush hour, you could drive there normally. But Prague is atypical in that you have columns outside the peak. It’s unbelievable. For me, it has the dimension that I wonder how long they will have a coalition with activist politicians.”
On Friday, the actor Michal Suchánek filmed another message full of irony for Zdenek Hřib.
“Mr. Hřib was talking about me today, he’s the guy who has nothing to do with transport, nor with Prague as a city. I farted, so it makes sense, I’m completely crazy, because I thought that Mr. Hřib was doing the closings, he was standing there, but he wasn’t because he was taking public transport today because of me, so I didn’t ask, let everyone ride whatever they want. I also rode Public transport, maybe more than once, damn me, from this city,” he said, among other things.
