Social Democrats ask finance minister to resign

Prague, Sept 22 (CTK) - Bohuslav Sobotka, leader of the opposition Czech Social Democrats (CSSD), yesterday called on Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek (TOP 09) to resign over his having slapped a youth who insulted him on Wednesday.

If Kalousek does not do so, Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democratic Party, ODS) should dismiss him, Sobotka said.

"I believe that ministers who slap citizens on the pavement have no place in decent political culture," Sobotka said in the Chamber of Deputies.

Necas said he would discuss the incident with Kalousek after his return from a foreign trip.

Necas said he would only then adopt a position.

CSSD deputy Ladislav Sincl said Kalousek had confessed to the attack on the youth.

Necas replied that the notion that confession was sufficient evidence had been coined by former Soviet general prosecutor Andrey Vyshinsky during the show trials in the 1930s.

Social Democrats have reacted to the incident by posting the billboard "STOP TO THE GOVERNMENT that slaps its citizens!" in their parliamentary benches.

A youth, in his early twenties, shouted at Kalousek, going from parliament to a government meeting, that he was a thief and would be hanged.

Kalousek said at a government press conference that a "impertinent brat was slapped four times."

He said he hoped that would benefit the education and further mental development of the youth.

"The government has arrived at the conclusion that the finance minister certainly cannot seek the title of the best teacher of the year," Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democratic Party, ODS) said.

"I certainly did not put up any fight. I only several times slapped a rowdy. I think he had it coming," Kalousek has said.