Culture minister attacks party boss

Culture Minister Antonín Staněk has lashed out against Deputy Prime Minister Jan Hamáček, saying on Twitter that the party leader had betrayed him by asking him to resign in connection with public protests to the sacking of two heads of cultural institutions.

Staněk wrote on Twitter that Hamáček had gone back on his word, driven by fear and weakness. The Social Democratic Party’s demand for a change of guard at the culture ministry has brought the government to the brink of collapse after President Zeman refused to dismiss Staněk and appoint the party’s new nominee for the post.

The president has called a meeting on July 12th at which he hopes to effect a reconciliation, but the Social Democrats have said that unless their condition is met they will walk out of the government.