PM sacks health minister, proposes replacement

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš proposed the dismissal of Health Minister Roman Prymula and named his choice of successor for the post in a meeting with President Miloš Zeman on Friday.

Mr. Babiš said the president had accepted his decision and would meet with the given candidate on Tuesday. He said he hoped to see the new health minister appointed next Thursday.

Health Minister Roman Prymula was hit by scandal on Friday morning, when the daily Blesk published photos of him leaving a Prague restaurant that should have been closed due to anti-coronavirus measures.

M. Prymula refused to resign, saying he had not breached the restrictions he himself ordered, since the meeting with another politician and the head of a hospital had been private and the facility had been closed to the public.

The prime minister has apologized on his behalf.