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The opposition parties have criticized the drawn-out political conflict, calling it a theatre of the absurd and arguing that the present government is harming the country’s interests by a never–ending series of scandals that prevents it from focussing on the country’ real problems.

The head of the Pirate Party, Ivan Bartoš, says it is not the culture minister who is at the core of the problem, but Prime Minister Andrej Babiš who is suspected of EU subsidy fraud and unwilling to stand up to the president.

Miroslav Kalousek, head of the TOP 09 deputies group in the lower house, argues that the present head of state has no respect for the Constitution and is being left to do as he will.

Social Democrats chairman Jan Hamáček says that President Miloš Zeman communicated that he is ready to accept the resignation of Culture Minister Antonín Staněk by July 31 and will await the result of the Social Democrat leadership meeting on Monday in regard to who Mr. Staněk's successor will be. The statement was made after a joint meeting between the three men at the president's Lány residence on Friday.

Mr. Hamáček reaffirmed his intention to replace the Social Democrat minister with fellow party member Michael Šmarda and said he expects the party leadership to confirm this decision. However, he admitted that the president did not give a clear statement that he will respect the decision of the Social Democrat leadership.

Antonín Staněk confirmed his party leader's statement, saying that both of them understood the president had agreed to his resignation. Mr. Hamáček said that the alternative conclusion to the Monday Social Democrat meeting would be that his party will resign from government.

Mr. Šmarda has been the party's proposed replacement for some time already since the current culture minister announced his resignation in May. Despite this, the president has until now refused to accept the resignation and, according to Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who met with him on Thursday, does not have a good opinion of Mr. Šmarda.

The famous wax figure museum Madame Tussauds opened its first branch in Central and Eastern Europe in the centre of Prague on Friday. Visitors can look forward to seeing 40 figures ranging from Jim Carrey and Bruce Willis to David Beckham, as well as Czech historical and mythical characters.

The opening is the result of a license deal between Madame Tussauds operator Merlin Entertainments and the Czech Wax Museum Prague, which has been running a wax museum on Prague’s Celetná street since 1997.

There are currently 24 Madame Tussauds wax museums in the world.

The Chamber of Deputies has voted for the implementation a of digital motorway toll system that should give drivers the opportunity to purchase vignettes online or via an application by January 2021. The new system is set to completely replace the paper coupons which are in use now. Furthermore, hybrid cars, as well as those using electric or hydrogen instead of regular fuel, are exempt from the charge.

Another proposal, which planned to increase the cost of digital vignettes from CZK 1,500 to CZK 2,000, did not pass.