Vobořil is leaving his long-term position after an agreement with Prime Minister Petr Fiala (59, ODS) on August 31. He said he came to the decision himself.
“If it looks like I don’t agree with the government, I don’t. I already feel that I have somehow overheated or overcooked. I needed to function differently. So I came up with that,” said Voboril to Lightning.
But he does not completely leave the unfinished business in the rearview mirror. He will continue to cooperate with the government in a certain way, but only as an independent expert at the Government Office.
“My role will change significantly – I will no longer be responsible for the rhythm that runs in government around those debates,” he added.
Swallow obscenities
Vobořil joked at the press conference that he would be relieved. He says he will not miss political fights. “I’m not the type to miss it. Even though the “wrangling” will probably continue in some way, I will be more independent,” he said to Lightning.
At the same time, he admitted that being the personification of the government’s anti-drug policy was not always pleasant. “I won’t be forced to say, do or not do anything, and I won’t just have to swallow profanity, literally. I often had to put my head down and pretend to be a clerk,” he confided.
Outgoing national anti-drug coordinator Jindřich Vobořil (ODS). | ČTK / Krumphanzl Michal
On the other hand, he is said to be sorry to leave his long-standing workplace. “Of course I have mixed feelings. To some extent, I’m leaving something where I did a lot of work and had a little bit of power to make a difference, even though my hands were tied. But at the same time, I will no longer be the contact point where this pressure can be concentrated,” he added.
She is looking forward to his work in the non-profit sector, especially because he will be able to express himself openly. “I can put real studies and numbers on the table. No one pressures me if I should suppress some part, better not say this and so on,” he mentioned.
“And then, of course, self-censorship already works, since you speak for the government, you keep to yourself. But sometimes I was surprised how much they let me say some things.” typed.
In Prague and Brussels
After leaving the Straka Academy, Vobořil wants to devote himself mainly to his non-profit – the Think Tank for Rational Addiction Policy, which he founded a few years ago.
“I don’t pack my bags. On the contrary, I want to tackle the topic of addiction from a non-profit, non-governmental point of view. I am convinced that returning to the non-governmental sphere is the right solution that will allow me to continue the work that I have the opportunity to influence people’s lives,” the therapist zoomed in.
The organization is dedicated to the issue of addictions, especially prevention. Vobořil explained that the non-profit will prepare credible documents for journalists and data for politicians and the public. He emphasized that she would not be an activist.
“My priority remains the prevention of addictions in children and adolescents and the setting of a regulation policy based on the seriousness of individual risks,Vobořil added and emphasized that a big topic will be the digital addiction of young people, which, according to him, almost no one is paying attention to yet.
The think-tank will not only operate in the Czech Republic, its branch is also being established in Brussels. Vobořil and his colleagues also want to push for a change in the European Union’s anti-drug policy.
“We will provoke a little and trouble European officials, European commissioners and the European Parliament so that something happens,” said the outgoing narcotics coordinator. According to him, a number of influential personalities should join the think-tank, including scientists, entrepreneurs or politicians – both Czech and foreign.