Prague, Dec 4 (CTK) – Czech Education Minister Katerina Valachova (Social Democrats, CSSD) is opposed to the proposal that candidates be appointed to a professorhsip automatically, based on the respective law, if the president fails to do so within 60 days, she told journalists Saturday.
This proposal of lawmakers was supported by the Czech Conference of Rectors (CKR) on Thursday. They want it to be included in a government bill that has been discussed in parliament.
Valachova said she primarily disagrees with the proposal for its legal defects, but she does not like its content either.
She prefers the preservation of status quo, she said.
The coalition council of the leaders of the three government parties will discuss possible changes to the procedure of appointing professors on Monday.
The above change has been proposed by government ANO movement lawmaker David Kasal together with opposition lawmakers Petr Gazdik (TOP 09) and Vojtech Filip (Communists, KSCM).
The proposal preserves the president´s power to grant the title of professor and adds the possibility of a candidate being appointed automatically within 60 days of their official nomination.
Valachova said the proposal, if adopted, would result in the Czech Republic having professors appointed by the president and those who would gain the title based on the law due to the president´s inactivity.
She said this would give the president a chance to sort out candidates, to which she is opposed. It would be only up to the president to choose those he would appoint personally, she said.
In reaction to the deputies´ proposal, Valachova has asked CSSD deputy Antonin Seda to submit a proposal that the power to appoint professors be transferred from the president to the education minister.
This is an alternative Valachova discussed with President Milos Zeman recently.
The appointment procedure has come to the limelight now that Zeman refuses to appoint three candidates, Jiri Fajt, Ivan Ostadal and Jan Eichler, who were nominated by their respective universities in spring.
Zeman justifies his position pointing to their controversial past under the communist regime.
The three candidates, together with their universities, have filed a legal action against Zeman and they want the court to force Zeman to appoint them professors.
Apart from the above proposals, another change has been proposed by the opposition Civic Democrat (ODS) chairman, Petr Fiala, who wants the power to be transferred to rectors.
“I do not support any of the proposals. I prefer the preservation of the present situation,” Valachova said.
“If the president fails to exercise his power, he will be accountable to court, which will decide,” Valachova said.
rtj/dr/ms
