Jaroslav Bašta

Jaroslav Bašta (15 May 1948 – 7 April 2024) was a Czech politician and diplomat. He was a signatory of Charter 77. Between 1998 and 2000 he served in the cabinet of Miloš Zeman as Minister without portfolio. Bašta became the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Russia in September 2000. He served for five years in Russia, later becoming Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Ukraine, where he worked for three years until stepping down for health reasons in 2010.

In 2021, he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD).

On 10 September 2022, SPD announced it would nominate Bašta for the 2023 Czech presidential election. He was also endorsed by the Tricolour Citizens' Movement and the Workers' Party of Social Justice (DSSS). He finished fifth of eight candidates in the first round on 14 January 2023, with 4.45% of the vote.

Bašta died after a long illness on 7 April 2024, aged 75.