Disarray over civil service bill

Prospects for the fast adoption of a civil service bill appear more uncertain after the reappearance of splits within the incoming coalition government. Christian Democrat deputy chairman Marian Jurečka raised tension by saying the new framework should explicitly rule out the possibility of anyone who actively cooperated with the Communist era secret police becoming a minister. That stance could jeopardize the chances of ANOleader Andrej Babiš become finance minister in an incoming cabinet. Babiš is listed in some records as a collaborator with the communist police. Christian Democrat leader Pavel Bĕlobrádek later sought to smooth things over by saying that the new civil service rules should cover officials but not ministers. The planned legislation is also urgently being demanded by the European Commission.