KSČM regional councillor for education resigns

Ceske Budejovice, South Bohemia, Jan 30 (CTK) - South Bohemia regional governor Jiri Zimola (Social Democrats, CSSD) has received the letter of resignation from regional councillor for education Vitezslava Baborova (Communists), Zimola told journalists yesterday.

Baborova has explained her resignation, to take effect on February 3, with health problem, Zimola said.

However, a wave of public protests surged last November as a KSCM member was appointed the regional councillor for education.

Students and other activists staged a number of protest rallies against Baborova.

"I refuse to comment on any information on who may become the councillor as this will be on the agenda of coalition talks," Zimola said.

The South Bohemia regional government will have its next meeting on March 7.

If another KSCM nominee becomes the new councillor, protests in the region will continue, students' representative Simon Heller said.

„We are not personally against Baborova and we wish her health recover. We are against the office to be managed by a Communist," Heller said.

The regional elections in South Bohemia last October were won by the CSSD before the KSCM.

At their first meeting, the newly elected regional assembly members elected Baborova, to the post of chairwoman of the education department. This outraged a part of students and the general public.

Before her election, a teacher from a local grammar school wrote a petition against a Communist heading the education sector. It has been signed by over 12,000 people.

Students of this grammar school were the first to protest against Baborova's appointment, other schools joined them soon.

Students call the current situation in the regional government a deception of voters. They point to the CSSD's resolution from 1995 in which the party vowed not to ally with the KSCM and any other extremist parties.

Volunteers have held a chain hunger strike against the regional government of Social Democrats and Communists.

It started on January 8. Individual protesters take turns in 24 hours.