Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský will stay in the government despite a reshuffle that saw his party, the Czech Pirate Party, pull out of the ruling coalition.
Lipavský, who has been a member of the Pirate Party (Greens/EFA) for nine years, has left the party to continue to serve as a non-partisan minister.
As Euractiv Czechia reported, the Czech Pirate Party decided to leave the governing coalition on Monday after its leader, Ivan Bartoš, was sacked in a row over the digitalisation of building permits.
Despite this, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS, ECR) said he would like to keep Lipavský in the cabinet. After their joint meeting on Tuesday, Fiala confirmed that his position would remain unchanged.
“We are in an international situation that is far from simple – there is war near us and tensions in the Middle East, with a deteriorating security environment. In these circumstances, continuity, including in personnel, in the foreign ministry leadership, is exceptionally important,” Fiala said.
The decision to retain Lipavský was supported not only by Fiala’s ODS but also by the leaders of the other coalition parties – STAN, KDU-ČSL and TOP 09 (all EPP). Czech President Petr Pavel was also informed and agreed that continuity in the Foreign Ministry was crucial in these turbulent times.
“It will be an honour to continue this work. To do so, I received the support of the four coalition party leaders,” said Lipavský.
He also stressed his commitment to maintaining Czechia as a “trustworthy and pro-Western partner.”
(Aneta Zachová | Euractiv.cz)
Source: euractiv.com
