Social Democrats want their minister to explain controversial sackings

Social Democratic Party deputy chair Roman Onderka has said Culture Minister Antonin Staněk would be asked to explain to the party leadership his reasons for sacking the head of the Czech National Gallery Jiří Fajt and the head of the Olomouc Museum of Arts Michal Soukup.

Speaking in a debate on Czech Television, Onderka said that Staněk had not informed the party about this decision in advance and unless he produced a satisfactory explanation Onderka would be in favour of the minister’s dismissal.

The sacking of the head of the Prague Gallery and Olomouc Museum of Arts has raised a storm of controversy with leading Czech artists and cultural institutions sending a protest petition to the prime minister. The heads of foreign galleries have also expressed their support for the head of the Czech National Gallery.