Hamáček does not plan to propose the dismissal of Minister of Culture Staněk

Prague - The chairman of the government’s ČSSD, Jan Hamáček, is not preparing to propose the dismissal of Minister of Culture Antonín Staněk (ČSSD) even after Thursday’s meeting with the authors of the petition for his removal. He told reporters today that he supports the prompt announcement of selection procedures for the heads of the National Gallery in Prague and the Olomouc Museum of Art. The petition criticizing the method of dismissing their previous directors, Jiří Fajt and Michal Soukup, has been signed by over 5,000 people in six days.

Hamáček and Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) met with the petitioners on Thursday. "We were warmly received, listened to for a long time, and it was stated that the situation is certainly serious and needs to be addressed, and Chairman Hamáček promised that he would deal with it with all seriousness," said architect Josef Pleskot on behalf of the petitioners after the meeting. Babiš referred to the coalition agreement, according to which the post of Minister of Culture belongs to the Social Democrats.

However, the ČSSD chairman still does not want to dismiss Staněk. "I am not preparing anything like that. I considered it polite to meet with the representatives of the petition committee. I listened to their arguments and told them that I am not pleased with the situation in the cultural sector," he stated. He views the solution as the quickest possible announcement of a transparent selection procedure for both director positions.

According to Pleskot, Hamáček promised that the situation would be resolved immediately upon Staněk’s return from a business trip. "We never said that we would discuss Mr. Staněk's dismissal from the government. We have regular meetings of the political leadership where we will address the current political situation, the preparation for the European elections, and we will certainly touch on the situation in the cultural sector. It will not be about resolving personnel issues," he stated.

Statutory Vice-Chairman of the ČSSD, Roman Onderka, has repeatedly stated in recent days that the Social Democrats should consider the dismissal of the Minister of Culture. "He expressed his opinion; however, we are not preparing anything like that," stated Hamáček.

Representatives of the petition authors, including DOX director Leoš Válka and director Václav Marhoul, handed Babiš primarily the text of their call on Thursday. They did not submit the petition sheets as, according to them, signatures are increasing every day. Support from abroad is also strengthening, especially from professional circles, with nearly four dozen directors of world museums and galleries signing a joint letter addressed to Babiš.