Press: Zlatuska Greens’ new candidate for education minister post

On Tuesday, the Czech daily Pravo reported that the search for a new education minister, which has lasted nearly two months, could be over. It reported that the head of the Green Party and stand-in education minister, Martin Bursik, had recommended Jiri Zlatuska for the post. Mr Zlatuska is a Green senator and former head of Brno’s Masaryk University. According to the paper, Mr Zlatuska’s nomination now awaits the approval of PM Mirek Topolanek. It is thought that Mr Topolanek will comment on the issue at his party the Civic Democrats’ conference this weekend in Prague.

Former education minister Dana Kuchtova resigned at the beginning of October having failed to secure billions of crowns’ worth of EU funds which had been earmarked for the Czech Republic. The search for a successor has split the Green Party, with some deputies insisting that she should be reinstated.