Prague, Dec 21 (CTK) – Eva Filipi and Livia Klausova, the Czech ambassadors to Syria and Slovakia, respectively, will keep their posts based on a temporary work agreement after January 1 until lawmakers pass a bill enabling diplomats to complete their mission even if they turned 70, Czech Television reported yesterday.
The temporary work agreement has been offered to Filipi and Klausova by the Foreign Ministry, Czech Television (CT) said.
The Czech civil service law, which took effect in July, binds civil servants to leave their posts as of the end of the year in which they turned 70.
Both Filipi and Klausova are over 70, which is why they were supposed to end as ambassadors.
The planned amendment to the law, promoted by President Milos Zeman, introduces an exemption for diplomats. It says the diplomats who turn 70 during their mission abroad will be able to complete it.
“A draft work agreement is to be delivered to the two embassies, in Syria and in Slovakia, on Monday,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Irena Valentova told CT.
Ambassadors are appointed and dismissed by the president. Zeman previously praised Filipi´s performance as Prague´s ambassador to Damascus and said he would not dismiss her.
The embassy in Damascus represents the interests of other countries, including the United States, too.
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