The Czech government is facing turbulent times after Foreign Minister Tom\u00e1\u0161 Pet\u0159\u00ed\u010dek was fired on Monday and Health Minister Jan Blatn\u00fd was replaced by Petr Arenberger just last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Jan Ham\u00e1\u010dek, who proposed Pet\u0159\u00ed\u010dek\u2019s removal, has not yet provided an explanation for the move, the two ex-ministers were strictly against the use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V without approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA), a stance for which they were criticised by President Milo\u0161 Zeman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the health minister was quickly replaced, the foreign minister position has not yet been filled. Although current Culture Minister Lubom\u00edr Zaor\u00e1lek, who previously served as foreign minister from 2014 to 2017, was proposed to again take on the reins of the foreign ministry, he said on Tuesday that he is not willing, for the time being, to change position because the foreign ministry had been \u201cgutted\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following Zaor\u00e1lek\u2019s refusal to once again lead the ministry, it seems that the role will now be given to Jakub Kulh\u00e1nek, current Deputy of Interior Minister Ham\u00e1\u010dek<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"