Prague, Sept 30 (CTK) – Czech ambassadors must leave diplomacy when they reach the age of 70 years and this also concerns the Ambassador to Syria, Eva Filipi, as the civil service law does not allow any exception, the Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Michaela Lagronova said yesterday.
During his visit to the current session of the United National General Assembly in New York earlier this week, Czech President Milos Zeman said he would not dismiss Filipi from the post despite the civil service law because she was doing excellent work in Syria.
“Fortunately, it is the president who dismisses ambassadors,” Zeman said.
He said nobody else than he can dismiss Filipi.
Lagronova said the Foreign Ministry shares the view that Filipi is an excellent ambassador and it appreciates her contacts, knowledge of the environment and the language very much.
The Czech Republic now also represents the interests of the United States in Damascus.
But the ambassadors who reach the age of 70 have no other possibility than to end in their posts according to the civil service law, Lagronova said.
Even if Zeman does not dismiss Filipi, her work contract would be terminated, she said.
Lagronova said the ministry would like Filipi to keep working in the Middle East region in some post.
According to CTK’s information, Filipi might become a Czech commissioner for Syria or the Middle East.
The age limit of 70 years also concerns Livia Klausova, wife of the former president Vaclav Klaus, who is ambassador to Slovakia.
Zeman previously labelled the age limit stupid and said if Filipi had to leave the post, it would be due to the stupidity of the Czech bureaucracy.
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