Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka will be proposing the dismissal of Education Minister Marcel Chládek within the next few days (both are ČSSD). The PM has referred to information reported yesterday by the daily Mladá fronta DNES about the bullying of subordinates at the ministry, claiming that he intends to take it seriously.
The Czech News Agency received the information in a press release yesterday. Chládek will be the first minister to be dismissed from the current cabinet from among its Social Democratic members.
"I consider Marcel Chládek the best Education Minister in 10 years, but from my perspective as ČSSD chair he no longer meets the strict criteria required of a Social Democrat in high office," the PM said. While he does not consider the Mladá fronta DNES newspaper an independent media outlet because it is owned by the chair of the ANO movement, Andrej Babiš (currently Finance Minister), the PM said he does not want to "downplay the information that has been published".
According to the press release, Sobotka respects the fact that Chládek would consider resigning an admission of guilt. "During our conversation today, Minister Chládek rejected the allegations published in Mf DNES as untrue, he plans to defend himself," the PM said yesterday.
The paper reported that during the 16 months Chládek has been in office, nine female staffers whose work required daily contact with him have quit. A tenth woman has taken an unpaid leave of absence.
Chládek has said he is a demanding boss. The PM already asked the Education Minister to treat his subordinates better approximately one year ago.
