Cultural figures demand Babiš withdraw Klempíř's new cultural policy

Professional associations from the cultural sector have sent an open letter to Andrej Babiš's government demanding the withdrawal of the draft new State Cultural Policy prepared by the Ministry of Culture under Oto Klempíř (Motoristé). The letter's authors insist on using the previous document, adopted last autumn by Petr Fiala's (ODS) government.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš told CNN Prima News that he intends to respond to the letter. Culture Minister Oto Klempíř defended the document last week.

What professionals didn't like

According to the Culture and Creative Federation Union of the Czech Republic, which circulated the letter, "the State Cultural Policy is a key strategic document that serves as the basis for allocating tens of billions of crowns in public funds and affects the lives, work, and creativity of more than 220,000 people."

The signatories claim that the new version of the document was drafted without public input, and that its author was the ministry's press secretary, Barbora Šťastná. "The approach chosen by the Ministry of Culture seriously undermines transparency in public administration, leads to the wasteful use of budget funds, and diminishes the state's capacity to pursue democratic policy," the letter states.

Who wrote the document

The strategy was drafted by Barbora Šťastná — head of Minister Oto Klempíř's cabinet, his press secretary, and partner of the Minister of Sport and Prevention, Boris Šťastný (both from Motoristé). According to the explanatory memorandum accompanying the draft, which was sent for inter-ministerial review last week, the document's purpose is "to define the priorities and strategic goals of the government's cultural policy in line with the cabinet's policy statement."

Former Culture Minister Martin Baxa (ODS) has previously said that setting policy priorities is the prerogative of Klempíř, his party, and the government, but that the State Cultural Policy should be developed with the participation of the entire professional community and have an expert character. "This is truly outrageous. I do not consider this document a legitimate proposal, and I refuse to accept it," he stressed.

Šťastná herself claims that the draft is based on extensive discussions with representatives of the cultural sector, and calls the accusations of a lack of communication with the industry "somewhat unfair."

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz