Pavel Bém - Our Mountaineering Mayor

Pavel Bém - Our Mountaineering Mayor

by sambeckwith

He’s the mayor of Prague and, nationwide, is second only to Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek in the ruling Civic Democratic Party (ODS).

And now he’s taking seven weeks off to climb Mount Everest.

Following a ruling by Prague City Council’s legislative department, Pavel Bém has been given the go-ahead to leave his office for nearly two months and take an unpaid holiday in the Himalayas.

Bém, a keen mountaineer, plans to leave for the Himalayas at the end of March, as part of five-man team of Czech and Slovak climbers, and plans to return some time in late May. (He isn’t sure exactly when.)

In the meantime, Deputy Mayor Rudolf Blažek will fill in for him at City Hall.

In the event of an emergency, Bém says he can be back in Prague in 48 hours, but his plans have attracted much political criticism — not only from opposition parties, but also from inside the ODS.

It could be lonely at the top.