Minister Julinek says PM’s decision to replace him is shortsighted

Health Minister Tomas Julínek has criticized Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek’s decision to replace him, calling it shortsighted. Mr. Julínek is leaving the post after two years in office, with Mr Topolánek saying he had failed to explain his health care reform to the public and gain the coalition parties' support for it. The health fees which he introduced at the beginning of last year were believed to be one of the main reasons for the coalition’s poor showing in October’s regional and Senate elections. Mr. Julínek said on Tuesday that the decision to replace him had come at the worst possible moment, in view of the global economic crisis. He said that the Czech health sector would most likely be in the red this year and predicted that next year could be even worse, arguing that he was the most competent person to deal with such an emergency.