PM dismisses speculation of a coalition crisis

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka has dismissed speculation of a coalition crisis in the wake of a flaming row between Finance Minister Andrej Babiš of the ANO party and Health Minister Svatopluk Nemeček of the Social Democrats. The prime minister, who met with Andrej Babiš late on Friday night, said that there was no question of the coalition falling apart adding that a meeting planned for Wednesday would help clear the air. He expressed regret that the ministers had played out their conflict in the media, rather than on coalition ground. Mr. Babiš has criticized the heath minister’s performance in office, saying that if he were a member of his ANO party he would have been recalled long ago.