KDU-ČSL called on Babiš to dismiss Minister of Culture Staněk

Prague - KDU-ČSL has called on Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) to immediately dismiss Minister of Culture Antonín Staněk (ČSSD). The national committee of the party agreed on this call today. According to the Christian Democrats, Staněk is not capable of leading the department and does not have the trust of workers in the culture sector. The outcome of the national committee's meeting was reported by KDU-ČSL spokesperson Denisa Morgensteinová. Staněk earned the resistance of people in the culture sector mainly by dismissing the director of the National Gallery in Prague and the Museum of Art in Olomouc in mid-April.

If Staněk does not have the trust of workers in the culture sector, it is not possible for him to continue in his position, stated KDU-ČSL chairman Marek Výborný. "We have received reports of dissatisfaction from people in key positions in culture, that is why we took this step. The Prime Minister and ČSSD must address this situation immediately; it is their responsibility,” Výborný added.

Staněk dismissed the director of the National Gallery in Prague (NGP), Jiří Fajt, and the Museum of Art in Olomouc (MUO), Michal Soukup, in mid-April. He justified this by citing their mismanagement, which was revealed by ministerial controls in the mentioned institutions. The minister filed a criminal complaint against Fajt due to an authorship contract worth more than a million crowns and due to long-term rental agreements concluded by the NGP.

Subsequently, an initiative demanding Staněk's dismissal emerged within the cultural community. A petition requesting the minister's resignation has thus far been signed by approximately 7,000 people. The petition committee includes producers and directors such as Václav Marhoul, documentary filmmaker Olga Sommerová, or the director of the DOX Center for Contemporary Art, Leoš Válka. Today, Otto Urban, the director of the 19th Century Art Collection and Classical Modernism at the NGP, resigned from his position, citing the minister's incompetence as his reason.

Babiš discussed the situation in culture with Staněk last Monday. After the meeting, he stated that he perceives the situation in the NGP as serious following Fajt's dismissal, but culture falls under the jurisdiction of the coalition ČSSD, and he must respect its decisions. The narrower leadership of the Social Democracy then instructed Staněk on Thursday to prepare selection processes for the heads of both institutions by the end of May. Staněk was also tasked with calming the situation in culture. ČSSD chairman Jan Hamáček defended Staněk on Czech Television on Sunday, stating that he acted correctly during the dismissal. However, he declined to say whether he would welcome Staněk's resignation.