Vladimír Balaš inaugurated as new Education Minister

New education minister Vladimír Balaš was inaugurated into office by Prime Minister Petr Fiala on Friday morning. Mr. Balaš is taking over the position from Petr Gazdík, who resigned on the last day of June due to his contacts with the lobbyist and businessman Michal Redl, who has been accused in a major corruption case involving Prague City Hall and the transport company DPP.

The PM has stated that he hopes the new minister will stay in office as long as possible because continuity is needed in the Ministry of Education. Mr. Balaš has said that he wants to stabilise the ministry and is not planning any radical changes. However, he will still have to deal with current challenges, which include the integration in Czech schools of child refugees who have fled the war in Ukraine.