In the first round of the presidential elections in the Czech Republic, retired general Petr Pavel won the first place, Radio Liberty reports..

According to the results of the vote count in 99% of the polling stations, Pavel is gaining 35.27% of the vote, overtaking his main competitor, former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis with 35.12% of the vote..

" According to Babis, I was an inexperienced person in politics,"

The second round of elections will be held in two weeks.

The new president will replace Milos Zeman, who, after many years of a complementary attitude towards Russia, sharply toughened his position in connection with the full-scale invasion of the Russian army into Ukraine.

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Petr Pavel in 2015 became the first head of the NATO Military Committee in the history of the Czech Republic and the countries of the former Soviet bloc.

He takes a tough stance against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, advocates the Western orientation of the Czech Republic, while promoting patriotic narratives. Among his electorate are adherents of the right, conservative and liberal views..

Andrei Babish - former prime minister, now leader of the largest opposition party, billionaire. This week, the court acquitted him in the EU subsidy fraud case.. There are many pensioners and people with low incomes among Babish's voters.