Prime Minister Petr Nečas (ODS) told a news conference on Wednesday he had ousted Justice Minister Jiří Pospíšil he had lost confidence in his fellow party member’s ability to manage his ministry and its finances, over a request for an extra Kč 1 billion for the Prison Service at a time of belt-tightening. But sources say it was Pospíšil’s shake-up of the judiciary system and failure to quickly appoint a top prosecutor to Nečas’ liking that led to his sacking.

The situation in Czech prisons has long been tense and threatens to lead to full-blown riots. The main problems are overcrowding, a lack of funding and the expected amnesty in connection with the election of a new head of state, after President Václav Klaus steps down in March 2013. Czech Position commentator and security expert Zdeněk Ondráček examines the dismal state of the nation’s prisons.

Senator Jiří Dienstbier (Social Democrats, ČSSD) has topped the list of most popular Czech politician since September, with more than half of those polled saying they have a “somewhat” or “very” favorable opinion of him — which bodes well for his likely bid for the presidency next spring, when the first direct elections to choose a head of state are held.

The Supreme Court has lifted the prison sentence on a Czech bus driver who altered and made comments on political posters after he refused to comply with part of his initial punishment as it looks into the case.