Culture Minister Sacks National Gallery Head, Files Criminal Charges After Audit

Culture Minister Antonín Staněk has dismissed the head of Prague’s National Gallery Jiří Fajt and the head of the Museum of Art in Olomouc, Michal Soukup. At a press conference on Thursday, the Minister of Culture said his decision was made on the basis of an audit carried out in the institutions. He said he had lost faith in the directors’ ability to efficiently manage the institutions’ budgets.

 

Mr Staněk has also filed two criminal charges against Mr Fajt over an allegedly suspicious CZK 1.2 million contract and lease agreement. The chief post at Prague’s National Gallery will be temporarily filled by Ivan Morávek.