Philosophical Faculty of Charles University: No to Bátora at the Czech Education Ministry

The Academic Council of the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University in Prague (Filozofická fakulta Univerzity Karlovy v Praze – FFUK) has expressed its clear disagreement with Ladislav Bátora becoming an official adviser to Czech Education Minister Josef Dobeš (Public Affairs – VV). In its statement the council calls on other academic communities to support them.

“We disagree with the proposal to engage Mr Ladislav Bátora in the management structure of the Czech Education Ministry. We are convinced that people with similar xenophobic attitudes should not occupy any similar posts,” the council’s declaration reads.

Bátora, who has run as a candidate for the extremist National Party (Národní strana – NS), was originally to have become Dobeš’s first deputy minister and is said to have been recommended by people from Czech President Václav Klaus’s circle, but Czech PM Petr Nečas (Civic Democrats – ODS) labeled his engagement in the deputy minister post unacceptable. The daily Právo has reported that Bátora is now slated to advise Dobeš in the field of economics. On Tuesday Dobeš refused to comment on Bátora’s upcoming appointment.

If Bátora were to be “only” the minister’s adviser, Nečas would not protest the appointment. “The selection of advisers is completely the Education Minister’s responsibility,” the PM says in today’s edition of Právo, which also cites the chair of the Public Affairs Party (VV) and Czech Interior Minister Radek John: “I know nothing about Bátora becoming an adviser at the Education Ministry. However, that minister is managed by Minister Dobeš and staff policy there is his affair.”