Dobeš distances himself from Bátora, TOP 09 not appeased

Czech Education Minister Josef Dobeš (Public Affairs – VV) has publicly distanced himself from statements made by his subordinate, Ladislava Bátora, about Czech Foreign Minister and TOP 09 chair Karel Schwarzenberg. In a statement to the Czech Press Agency, Dobeš said he had rebuked Bátora, the head of human resources at the ministry, for his behavior and given him instructions regarding his public appearances. If Bátora does not follow those instructions, or should Dobeš discover any other displays of political extremism on his part, he will take “action in the personnel area.” TOP 09 said the minister’s actions are not enough. The party continues to demand Bátora’s removal from office.

“Over the past few days I have spoken by telephone with Deputy Prime Minister Karel Schwarzenberg and apologized to him for Mr Bátora’s statements about him. Today I would like to publicly apologize to the Deputy Prime Minister and add that I clearly distance myself from Mr Bátora’s words. I have rebuked Mr Bátora for his behavior and given him unequivocal instructions about his public statements. If Mr Bátora doesn’t follow those instructions, or if I discover any other displays of political extremism on his part, I will immediately take action in the personnel area,” the minister’s statement reads.

Czech PM Petr Nečas (Civic Democrats – ODS) demanded the Education Minister clearly distance himself from his subordinate’s remarks and also expressed the hope that the TOP 09 ministers will be mindful of their constitutional obligations. TOP 09 cabinet members are refusing to attend cabinet sessions until Bátora is either removed from his position or until Dobeš resigns. Nečas said Bátora’s remarks about the Foreign Minister were rude and that he personally would remove any subordinate of his who behaved that way. Bátora, who is the chair of the D.O.S.T. initiative, called Schwarzenberg a “poor old thing” online.

TOP 09 is still demanding Bátora’s departure from the state administration. Czech Finance Minister and party vice-chair Miroslav Kalousek said the statement made by Dobeš today is not enough. “The only appropriate ‘distancing’ is the immediate removal of this bureaucrat. Anything else just means Minister Dobeš is continuing to cover for unacceptable behavior in the state administration,” Kalousek told the Czech Press Agency.

Nečas has noted that Dobeš has distanced himself from Mr Bátora’s behavior. The PM’s statement yesterday that he is negotiating and will continue to negotiate the situation with his coalition partners still applies. “The Prime Minister says it is unacceptable for a dispute over one state bureaucrat, even a controversial one, to threaten the approval of needed reforms,” Jan Osúch, the PM’s press spokesperson, said today.

“Miroslav Kalousek’s effort to prevent extremist opinions from infiltrating the state administration can only be supported. It’s a shame he hasn’t always been so principled. It was Miroslav Kalousek who was prepared to create a government together with Jiří Paroubek and the support of the KSČM (Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia) in 2006,” noted the chair of the ODS caucus in the lower house, Zbyněk Stanjura, adding that he has no illusions about communists’ opinions of a free, democratic society.

“Mr Bátora’s statements as a bureaucrat in the public administration of a democratic country are unacceptable. Of course, we can’t let the Facebook postings of a single bureaucrat paralyze government activity, especially at a time when our country needs essential reforms and the public is impatiently expecting them to be rapidly implemented by the government and the coalition as a whole,” Stanjura said.

According to the Ethical Codex of Public Administration Employees, which was approved by the Czech Government in 2001, state employees are not permitted to undertake any political or public activity which might violate citizens’ trust in their ability to impartially perform their service obligations. The same formulation can be found in the Anti-Corruption Codex prepared last year by then-Czech Interior Minister Radek John, the VV chair. The Czech Education Ministry decided to adopt that codex as well.