Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) asked the Minister of Health Roman Prymula him to resign.
The PM announced it during a press conference on Friday.
“I asked Mr. Faltýn to resign as First Vice-President of the ANO movement, as well. I’m very sorry, I apologize to everyone, this is unacceptable,” he added.
Babiš has already informed President Miloš Zeman about his decision. “I spoke with two candidates, I would like to announce the new health minister on Monday.”
The scandal erupted on Friday when tabloid Blesk ran pictures of Health Minister Roman Prymula leaving a restaurant and entering a car without a face mask, a violation of rules that closed restaurants and required wearing masks in most places including chaffeured cars.
Prymula, in an interview with weekly magazine Respekt posted online, said he attended a work meeting with the head of the ruling party’s parliamentary faction Jaroslav Faltynek, which took place in a back room of an otherwise closed restaurant.
Read: Prymula Spotted Leaving a Restaurant Without Face Mask
According to the current measures, restaurants should be closed, and facemasks must now be worn at all times in the presence of other people.
Opposition leaders called on Mr. Prymula to resign, accusing him of arrogance and hypocrisy.
The Prague City Hall and the Regional Hygiene Station will conduct administrative proceedings due to violations of government measures. Mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Pirate Party) announced it via Twitter.
Read: Coronavirus in the Czech Republic: The Latest
“Although apparently, some may think some people are more equal than others, the rules here still apply to everyone equally,” he tweeted.
Roman Prymula has been the Minister of Health since September 21.
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