Czech Prime Minister Sobotka announces that Health and Human Rights Ministers are leaving

Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Czech Social Democratic Party - ČSSD) unexpectedly announced at a press conference today at 15:30 that there will definitely be changes to those holding the posts of Health Minister and Human Rights Minister. He said he had already informed both the Czech President and the leadership of the Social Democrats of the changes to the cabinet.

Outgoing Health Minister Svatopluk Němeček will be replaced by the current director of the Motol Teaching Hospital in Prague, Miroslav Ludvík (ČSSD), while outgoing Human Rights Minister Dienstbier will be replaced by Czech MP Jan Chvojka (ČSSD). The PM called the changes a "team revision" and justified them by saying he wants to send the public a clear signal that the ČSSD has learned the lesson of its loss in last month's regional and Senate elections and wants the party to work "clearly and compactly" until the end of the Government's term.

Sobotka said he also wants to gradually meet with all members of his cabinet to review their performance. He will begin those meetings on Monday.

The PM thanked the outgoing ministers for their work, which he said had been performed without any error or scandals. News server Romea.cz will report on further details as they emerge.