The petition demands the return of Fajt to the head of the National Gallery

Prague - After the state apologized to art historian Jiří Fajt for dismissing him a year ago from the position of head of the National Gallery in Prague by former Minister of Culture Antonín Staněk (CSSD), a petition was created for Fajt to return to that position. This information was provided to ČTK today by artist Jiří David, who, along with other members of the former group Tvrdohlaví, is one of the initiators.

"If the minister has the right to dismiss directors of the ministry's contributory organizations without reason, then it is certainly possible to appoint them just as arbitrarily, especially when the reasons are evident as in this case," states the petition.

"Due to the evident mistake on the part of the state, which fundamentally harmed Jiří Fajt both personally and professionally, we request a review of the decision made by former Minister of Culture Antonín Staněk regarding the dismissal of Jiří Fajt from the position of director of the National Gallery in Prague and his return to this position," the petition's initiators stated. In addition to David, it has been signed by Václav Marhoul, Petr Nikl, Jaroslav Róna, and František Skála, among others.

Staněk suddenly dismissed Fajt last April as well as the director of the Museum of Art in Olomouc, Michal Soukup, citing alleged substantial financial misconduct. He also quickly filed a criminal complaint against both. Fajt repeatedly denied the accusations, and dozens of directors of foreign museums and thousands of people in a domestic petition stood up for him.

The police dropped the complaint against Soukup last November and recently also dismissed two criminal complaints filed by Staněk against Fajt. On Tuesday, the state, through the Ministry of Culture, apologized to Fajt. The ministry stated that Staněk cited reasons for Fajt's dismissal that had no basis in the actual state of affairs. "The Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic recognizes that this has caused harm to Mr. Jiří Fajt’s professional and personal reputation and honor, as well as to his good name," the ministry stated.