Filip Turek seeking meeting with President Pavel on ministerial nomination

Filip Turek, the Motorists’ candidate for the post of environment minister, has requested a meeting with President Petr Pavel to discuss the nomination.  Turek was due to meet with President Pavel earlier, but cancelled due to health problems. He has come under fire for allegedly posting racist, sexist, and homophobic statements on social media, along with references to Adolf Hitler. Turek has apologized for some of the posts but denied authorship of others. He said he wants a chance to explain the matter to the president.President Pavel said last week that he is willing to meet with Turek, but expressed doubt that such a meeting would change his view that Turek is unsuited to hold any ministerial post. The Environment Ministry, which Turek aspires to head, is being temporarily managed by Foreign Minister Petr Macinka from the same party.