TOP 09 head: Bátora at EdMin like pedophile running a school

According to Czech Foreign Minister and chair of TOP 09 Karel Schwarzenberg, Ladislav Bátora does not belong in his current position as head of human resources at the Czech Education Ministry. According to Schwarzenberg, Bátora’s opinions go far beyond any attitudes considered normal in a democracy.

“Take a look at the Education Ministry and you’ll see what I mean. If this man were an accountant at the Agriculture Ministry, I wouldn’t object, but it’s not possible to work at the Education Ministry and hold such opinions. It would be like making a known pedophile the head of a girls’ school. It endangers the ethical standards of our politics, if you will,” Schwarzenberg told the Czech daily Právo.

“I wouldn’t employ a vintner as the director of the U Apolináře alcoholic treatment center or let it be financed by the Jelínek firm. Some things just don’t go together,” he added.

According to the TOP 09 party leader, Bátora has not apologized for the insulting remarks he has made about him. Only Czech Education Minister Josef Dobeš (VV) has sent him an SMS message of apology, as well as making a public declaration of apology yesterday. When asked whether an apology from Bátora would change his view that he should resign, Schwarzenberg said the bureaucrat’s “muck is of no interest” to him. “The point is that a person holding his opinions should not be in such a position. He can manage the pencil warehouse at the Education Ministry, but not human resources, that’s too much,” Schwarzenberg declared.

Schwarzenberg was also upset by the roots of this most recent government crisis. “I consider it truly extraordinary that a government crisis is starting over someone whose opinions really go far beyond any attitudes considered normal in a democracy. It’s sad. If we were tussling over the budget or the direction of European foreign policy, I would understand it, but this is beyond me,” he said.

Schwarzenberg confirmed to Právo that TOP 09 ministers will not be attending cabinet meetings. When he returns at the end of August he will meet with Czech PM Petr Nečas (ODS). “Things might get desperate enough to meet sooner, but we’ll see,” the Czech Foreign Minister said.