Zaorálek wants to calm the situation at the Museum of Art in Olomouc on Friday

Olomouc - Minister of Culture Lubomír Zaorálek (ČSSD) will arrive in Olomouc on Friday to address issues surrounding the Museum of Art that arose during the tenure of his predecessor at the ministry, Antonín Staněk (ČSSD). The main goal of Zaorálek's visit will be a meeting with representatives of the museum and resolving the situation with the museum's director, Michal Soukup, who was dismissed by Staněk. However, according to information from ČTK, Soukup has not yet received the dismissal notification. The minister also plans a public debate in Olomouc, said museum spokesman Tomáš Kasal today.

"I don't like to beat around the bush, and I know that the situation around the Museum of Art and SEFO (Central European Forum) in Olomouc is quite tense. I want to calm it down. And mainly I want to talk to the locals and gain firsthand information. Therefore, I would like to invite not only the professional public but all citizens of Olomouc to a meeting at the Regional Museum. We will discuss SEFO and other important cultural topics together," Zaorálek stated.

The public discussion will begin on Friday at 18:00 at the Regional Museum in Olomouc, thus outside the premises of the Museum of Art.

The director of the Olomouc Museum of Art, former minister Staněk, dismissed on April 18. However, according to information from ČTK, Soukup has not yet personally received his decision, as he was on sick leave and started vacation on Monday. Meanwhile, on July 3, Staněk announced a selection procedure for Soukup's position. Museum employees, whose founder is the Ministry of Culture, thus expect that the issue of the validity of Soukup's dismissal will be resolved from Zaorálek's visit.

Staněk justified Soukup's dismissal by his failure in preparing and managing the project for the construction of the Central European Forum (SEFO) from September 2018 to April 2019. He allegedly criticized him for overpriced land purchases, the form of the application for European subsidies, and discrepancies in project documents. A criminal complaint was filed against Soukup and his predecessor, Pavel Zatloukal. Both denied committing any illegal acts. The criminal complaint is being handled by a prosecutor from the Olomouc branch of the regional prosecutor's office.

Staněk's move sparked great dissatisfaction in the Olomouc museum. Its employees demanded Staněk's resignation, participated in a petition organized by representatives of the DOX Center for Contemporary Art, and organized a concert in a gap where SEFO is supposed to stand as a protest against Staněk. The change of the Minister of Culture was discussed for over three months, and Zaorálek took office on August 27.