The Executive Council of Public Affairs (VV) reportedly agreed on Tuesday to put forward Jiří Nantl (nonaffiliated) as their nominee to take the ministerial post in the Ministry of Education, recently vacated by Josef Dobeš (VV). Another party member thought to be a strong potential candidate, the former teacher Dagmar Navrátilová, is said not to be interested in the post.

Josef Dobeš (Public Affairs, VV) has resigned as education minster — ostensibly in protest of the government’s decision to the ministry’s budget by Kč 2.5 billion, which he said would trigger an unacceptable cut in teachers’ salaries. Czech media, however, say his days were numbered, and the unpopular austerity package a convenient excuse for him to exit a “hero.” Dobeš was widely criticized for mismanaging and failing to secure EU funds, and over his unpopular draft law on universities, which led to mass student protests.

The charismatic Vít Bárta and his entourage had been waiting for judgment day for almost a year and undoubtedly prepared for it well. Following the first half of court hearings, however, the predicament of Public Affairs (VV) — the smallest of the three parties in the governing Czech coalition — appears not serious but hopeless. Last week the party experienced the darkest hours yet in its short history.

Education Minister Josef Dobeš has faced intense criticism in recent weeks over planned reforms of the Czech higher education and an announcement by the European Commission that it is suspending the payment of Kč 1.2 billion of EU funds earmarked for several programs within the Education for Competitiveness Operational Program (ECOP). Now with the threat of losing Kč 53 billion, Dobeš’ position appears untenable.