Embattled education minister resigns citing cuts

Education Minister Josef Dobeš tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Petr Nečas on Friday. He said he had already informed President Václav Klaus of his decision and would be leaving his post at the end of the month. Mr. Dobeš, a minister for the junior Public Affairs party, cited budget cuts as the main reason behind his decision but there has been speculation that he was leaving office to save face rather than being dismissed for incompetence by the prime minister.

Mr Dobeš is one of the most contentious members of the government, having been criticized for mismanagement of EU funds, a botched university reform and most recently his decision to extend the accreditation of the Plzeň faculty of law, a decision he was technically not entitled to make. He is the eighth minister to leave the current government.