Government spokesman Jiri Ovkacek, who announced Prime Minister Andrej Babis’ verdict, said that Petr Arenberger, director of the Vinohrady University Hospital, will be appointed as the new Minister of Health.

According to Radio Prague International, Blatny clarified that the revocation of his position is a political matter, because of his known differences with the head of Government.

The replacement became known shortly after the announcement made by Blatny of the first relaxation of the epidemiological measures imposed since last March, with the possibility of the return of students of some teaching grades to schools.

‘It is not a question of complete flexibility either, as the situation is not yet ideal,’ the now-dismissed Minister of Health commented yesterday.

It is expected that flights abroad will resume starting next Monday and the night curfew will end.

The Czech Republic accumulates one million 555,245 positive cases of SARS-CoV-2, of which 27,169 deaths, out of a population of 10.6 million inhabitants.

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