Experts walk out of Babiš meeting, call agenda transfer talks “absurd theatre”

Some representatives of human rights and anti-drug organisations and government councils left a meeting on the transfer of government agendas early after talks with Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, head of the Government Office Tünde Bartha and four ministers. They described the meeting as sad, undignified, a farce and absurd theatre.

The government approved the transfer of agendas last Monday. From July, departments and offices connected to eight government councils are expected to move from the Government Office to four ministries. Experts have sharply criticised the plan, pointing out that the transferred issues concern several ministries at once and require cross-ministerial coordination. According to the cabinet, however, the new arrangement will be more efficient.

“What happened there was absolutely undignified. We were prepared for a discussion. Instead, we got a frontal lecture meant to explain to us that the transfers are actually a great idea,” said Jana Michailidu, director of the expert centre at the Think Tank for Rational Addiction Policies. She was the first to leave after 45 minutes.