Why Pavel shouldn't dismiss Bartoš

Pres. Petr Pavel pledged in his campaign and inaugural address to help restore dignity, respect, decency and other qualities to the country's top political leadership that he said had become less important in recent years. Yet when PM Petr Fiala informed the president by telephone last Tues. that he wanted to remove Pirates Chair Ivan Bartoš as vice PM and development minister, Pavel apparently said nothing to him about the importance of acting in accordance with the coalition agreement under which the government was created. That agreement doesn't provide a way for the PM to remove a minister against the will of the party in question. The role of the president is most difficult where the scope of his powers ends, Pavel said in his inaugural address. The Constitution requires him to remove a minister if the PM asks him to do so, but it doesn't prevent him from first insisting upon "dignity, respect and decency" in politics. Pavel still has a chance to act as the chief purveyor of values. He can inform Fiala after today's political meetings that he won't dismiss Bartoš for now and expects the letter of the coalition agreement to be observed.