Industry Minister Jan Mladek sacked

Industry and Trade Minister Jan Mladek has been dismissed from office. Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka announced the news after Monday’s session of the government saying he would inform President Zeman about his decision on Thursday and say who he wanted as a replacement. Mladek has been under fire in recent weeks among others for saying that mobile “roaming” services were for an elite class of people that make up 5 percent of the population. He also received negative publicity when his deputy Lubomír Bokštefl told participants in an on-line debate to “go to Poland” if they wanted Polish rates for mobile data.