PM Andrej Babiš ceded constitutional authority to the president when he decided in mid-Feb. to nominate Igor Červený of the Motorists as environment minister in lieu of Filip Turek, who had been rejected by Pres. Petr Pavel. Without putting up a fight, Babiš accepted that the president may reject a cabinet nominee on political grounds. Babiš took a step in the same direction yesterday by saying that the president must of course agree with the cabinet's nominee to the position of army chief of staff. This appointment is governed by the law on the armed forces, not the Constitution, but the principle is the same. The law on the armed forces states: "The army chief of staff is appointed by the president on the recommendation of the cabinet." If Babiš accepts that the president must first agree to the appointment, he is again volunteering to cede authority to the president and is thereby weakening the cabinet's position. For whatever reason, Babiš is helping Pavel to move the country toward a semi-presidential system.