Culture Minister Staněk dismissed

President Miloš Zeman has dismissed Culture Minister Antonín Staněk from his post, effective as of July 31, the president’s spokesman Jiří Ovčáček informed journalists on Monday. According to Ovčáček the president thanked Mr. Staněk for his good work and for having unveiled corruption in the field of culture.

The dismissal comes two months after Prime Minister Babiš officially requested it and the delay has caused a drawn-out crisis in the governing coalition, with the Social Democrats, who are in charge of the culture portfolio, threatening to walk out of the coalition government over the president’s reluctance to act.

The party has already named Michal Šmarda as its nominee for the post, but President Zeman has not so far agreed to make the appointment, saying he would decide on Staněk’s successor in mid-August.