Jiří Ovčáček
Jiří Ovčáček in 2015
Personal details
Born (1979-01-13) 13 January 1979
Prague, Czechoslovakia
Alma materFaculty of Arts, Charles University

Jiří Ovčáček (born 13 January 1979) is a Czech journalist and columnist. He was best known as the spokesman of Miloš Zeman during Zeman's presidency.

Early life

Ovčáček was born on 13 January 1979.[1] He studied at the Archbishop's High School in Prague, but was dropped out at 16 years old after dying his hair green as a small provocation against the school environment.[2] Ovčáček graduated from Ecological Gymnasium.[3]

In February 2015, a user named GhostBuster on Echo24 that Ovčáček wrote 443 articles in two years between 2002 and 2004 during his tenure as an editor of Haló noviny, which testified his fascination with communism.[4] In April 2023, he started working as an editor and commentator for the social website Život v Česku.[5]

Political career

Office of the Government of the Czech Republic

At the beginning of social democratic governments era, he moved to the press department of the Government Office of the Czech Republic.[6] During Jiří Paroubek's tenure as prime minister, Ovčáček served as the deputy director of this department and became his press spokesman,[7] [8] but was dismissed in 2007 due to a loss of trust.[9]

Ovčáček published his first book titled Plnou parou v politice (lit. 'Full steam in politics'), in which he was accused by Paroubek of slandering him in the tabloid media.[10] On the other hand, commentators pointed to Ovčáček's problematic journalistic directly to his alleged bias extending to expressions of personal revenge.[11]

During the 2013 Czech presidential election, Deník Referendum editor Patrik Eichler accused Ovčáček of bias against Jiří Dienstbier Jr. as a ČSSD candidate.[12]

Spokesman of Miloš Zeman

Ovčáček was appointed press spokesman for Miloš Zeman in December 2013, [13] replacing Hana Burianová, who initially remained in the position of director of the press department of the presidential office.[14] In May 2014, Ovčáček replaced her in this position.[15]

In 2015, Ovčáček became one of the central figures in the "Hitler is a Gentleman" case.[16] He aimed to prove moral misconduct alongside Zeman and at the same time question the seriousness of one of the leading Czechoslovak journalists, Ferdinand Peroutka.[17] In an interview with Martin Veselovský on 2 November 2016, Ovčáček stated that he was still looking for Peroutka's whereabouts.[18]

With Petr Pavel taking office as president of the Czech Republic, Ovčáček resigned as presidential spokesperson and was replaced by Markéta Řeháková.[19]

Personal life

Ovčáček has been married to a Ukrainian woman since November 2022. The couple met when he took her in as a refugee from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[20]

Controversy

Ovčáček has been the subject of criticism for the way he works.[21] In September 2021, executive board of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), Patrik Schober, stated that he would dismiss him. According to Schober, Ovčáček's average salary of 106,000 CZK as of 2020 corresponded to the position of an experienced director of communications in the commercial sphere. However, Ovčáček "lies, divides society and deliberately labels."[22]

On 16 December 2021, Ovčáček was taken to the detention station after he allowed himself to be taken by a taxi, refused to pay and fell asleep drunk.[23] He did not pay for the transport costing CZK 350 to Dělnická Street in Holešovice. Ovčáček subsequently apologised for his behavior, citing "various dramatic circumstances surrounding the formation of the government" as the reason.[24] The next day, Zeman appointed the Cabinet of Petr Fiala, whose members he expressed reservations about, should not appoint it against the constitution.[25]

References

  1. ↑ Kopecký, Josef (23 August 2017). "Zeman nehodlá počítat peníze za výjezdy do kampaně. Úřad to vidí jinak". iDNES (in Czech). Prague: Mafra. Retrieved 17 April 2018 – via Štěch announced the election, Ovčáček is happy on his birthday. I can add that I was pleased with the date, because 13 January 2018 is my 39th birthday.
  2. ↑ Kubík, Jiří (5 May 2015). "Ovčáček připouští: Na práci v Haló novinách nejsem hrdý". Aktuálně.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  3. ↑ Orozovič, Petr. "Jiří Ovčáček I: Poprvé o soukromí a ne o Zemanovi". iDNES (in Czech). Prague: Mafra. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  4. ↑ "Pana Ovčáčka fascinoval komunismus. Máme důkazy". Echo24.cz (in Czech). 5 September 2016.
  5. ↑ Aust, Ondřej (13 April 2023). "Jiří Ovčáček začal psát pro Život v Česku". Médiář (in Czech). Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  6. ↑ "Novým mluvčím prezidenta Zemana bude novinář Ovčáček". Parlamentní listy (in Czech). Prague: Our Media. 29 November 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  7. ↑ "Z Haló novin, Blesku a Práva na Hrad. Ovčáček je nový Zemanův mluvčí". iDNES (in Czech). 29 November 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
  8. ↑ "Paroubek oznámil rozvod s ženou Zuzanou". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. 1 July 2007. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  9. ↑ "Paroubek se musí omluvit Ovčáčkovi za „nechutného podrazáka"". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  10. ↑ "Proces Jiřího Paroubka s "novinářem" Ovčáčkem připomíná Kafkův román". Vaše Věc (in Czech). 21 January 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  11. ↑ Potůček, Jan (16 July 2006). "Nezávislý novinář?". Reflex.cz (in Czech). Czech News Center. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  12. ↑ Eichler, Patrik (18 February 2013). "Ovčáček sloužil čertu". Deník Referendum (in Czech). Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  13. ↑ "Nový tiskový mluvčí prezidenta republiky". Prague Castle (in Czech). 1 December 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
  14. ↑ "Novým mluvčím prezidenta bude Jiří Ovčáček, Burianová zůstává". ČT24 (in Czech). Czech Television. 29 November 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  15. ↑ Lang, Václav (6 August 2014). "Zemanova bývalá mluvčí v tichosti přesídlila k Chládkovi". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  16. ↑ Koubová, Karolína; Ševčíková, Šárka (6 May 2015). "Peroutka artikuloval protektorátní politiku, opakuje Jiří Ovčáček. Článek Hitler je gentleman hledá ve volném čase". Czech Radio (in Czech). Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  17. ↑ Svačina, Pavel (29 April 2015). "Zeman: Článek jsem četl a musí se najít, i když to Ovčáčka stojí čas". iDNES (in Czech). Prague: Mafra. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  18. ↑ Veselovský, Martin (2 November 2015). "Ovčáček: Nikdy nelžu, bráním prezidenta a chodím s kůží na trh. Vždycky budu politicky nekorektní". Aktuálně.cz (in Czech). Economia. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  19. ↑ "Mynář rezignuje k 8. březnu, sdělila Vohralíková. Ovčáček zatím odchod řeší". ČT24 (in Czech). Czech Television. 1 March 2023.
  20. ↑ "Svobodné české ženy si rvou vlasy. Nadsamec Ovčáček se oženil, k oltáři ho dovezl Zeman". Reflex.cz (in Czech). 8 November 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  21. ↑ "Mluvčí Hradu cituje žalm z bible, k Zemanově hospitalizaci mlčí". iDNES (in Czech). Prague: Mafra. 14 September 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  22. ↑ "Mlčení, mlžení a žalmy za 300 tisíc měsíčně. Kolik stojí Ovčáček s Mynářem". iDNES (in Czech). Prague: Mafra. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  23. ↑ Trousilová, Alžběta (18 December 2021). "Ovčáček se omluvil za své chování v opilosti, chce kontakt na taxikáře". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  24. ↑ "Opilý Ovčáček skončil v doprovodu policie v nemocnici. Prosím o odpuštění, řekl". iDNES (in Czech). Prague: Mafra. 18 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  25. ↑ "Právníci: Zeman si vykládá Ústavu podle sebe. Nemá si z kandidátů vybírat". iDNES (in Czech). Prague: Mafra. 10 December 2021.
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