PRAGUE, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said at a press conference on Thursday that he will support current President Milos Zeman in the forthcoming direct presidential election.

He said he considers Zeman a strong personality who is not afraid to express his opinion and is devoted to politics.

Babis said he thought Zeman is a person "who fights for our national interests, who is not afraid to present his clear opinion of Brussels and refugee quotas and is proud of his country."

He said that this is his own opinion and not an official stance of his party, the ANO movement.

The first round of Czech presidential election will be held on Friday and Saturday. Voters will choose between nine candidates. If no candidate wins a majority of the vote, a run-off election between the top two candidates will be held two weeks later.