Illustrative photo – Press conference after the meeting of the State Security Council with the participation of President Petr Pavel, April 12, 2023, Prague.
Prague – Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) respects the nominations of the STAN movement for ministers of education and European affairs. ČTK announced that in the coming days it will submit proposals for their appointment to President Petar Pavlov. On Tuesday evening, the STAN movement decided to propose the current Minister for European Affairs Mikuláš Bek to the position of Minister of Education and to replace him with the current Deputy Foreign Minister Martin Dvořák. Bek is to replace Vladimír Balaš as head of the Ministry of Education, who announced his resignation last week for health reasons. According to earlier information, the President will negotiate with Fiala about changing the cabinet on Tuesday, May 2.
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“From the chairman of the STAN movement, I received the nomination of Mikuláš Bek for the position of Minister of Education and Martin Dvořák for the post of Minister for European Affairs. I know the proposed candidates well not only from working in the government, I respect the nomination of the STAN movement and in the next few days I will submit a proposal for their appointment to the President, ” said Fiala. Later at the press conference, he added that the appointment could take place next week, depending on the president's agenda.
Bek will probably become the third minister of education in the current coalition government. Balaš was sent by the STAN movement to head the ministry last July. He replaced Petr Gazdík (STAN), who resigned due to contacts with the accused businessman Michal Redl from the Prague Dozimetr corruption case. Balaš requested to be released from his position due to long-term health problems after suffering from covid-19. He will retain his parliamentary mandate for the time being.
Bek (59) is also a senator, he previously held the position of rector of Masaryk University in Brno. In the past, Dvořák (66) was mayor of Hradec Králové, consul general in New York and ambassador in Kuwait.
