Ivan Bartoš says Pirate Party leaving government

Deputy Prime Minister Ivan Bartoš has confirmed that the Pirate Party will leave the government following his unexpected dismissal from government posts. Bartoš said that the party’s two remaining cabinet ministers, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský and Minister for Legislation Michal Šalomoun, would hand in their resignation once the decision to walk out of the government was officially sanctioned by an online vote of party members on Monday.

Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, who is attending the 79th session of the UN Generally Assembly in New York, has said that if the Pirate Party decides to leave the government he will offer his resignation and simultaneously leave the ranks of the Pirate Party. Lipavský said he could not identify with some of the statements made about the government at Tuesday’s press conference of the Pirate Party. Prime Minister Fiala made it clear he did not want to lose Lipavský as foreign minister and President Pavel also said it would be unfortunate to have a change-of-guard at the top foreign ministry post.