Babiš to discuss Turek’s “parasites” remarks with Foreign Minister Macinka

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) still plans to discuss remarks by Motorists MP Filip Turek, who referred to civil servants as “parasites,” with Foreign Minister and coalition Motorists leader Petr Macinka.

He told reporters this before departing today on a trip to Central Asia. On Saturday, Turek apologized in a TV Nova debate to ministry employees if they were offended by his comments.

According to the Blesk news server, Turek recently said at an event marking the anniversary of the online TV station XTV that ministries led by Motorists contained many “progressive, left-wing, sometimes green, and other kinds of parasites,” and that the party had decided to “gradually eradicate” them.

Motorists are represented in the government by Macinka, Environment Minister Igor Červený, Culture Minister Oto Klempíř, and Sports Minister Boris Šťastný.

Babiš said on Friday that Turek’s statement was unacceptable. Today, he told ČTK that Turek has apologized, but he will still raise the issue with Macinka.