After just eight days on the job, KarolĆna Peake was abruptly fired as Czech defense minister Thursday. No immediate reason was given for the decision. However, Peake, who heads the center-right government coalitionās party, LIDEM, angered Prime Minister Petr NeÄas and President VĆ”clav Klaus when she immediately fired three top defence deputies.
“I suppose that this is a move to the opposition,” Peake told ÄTK. LIDEM, meanwhile, said it plans to withdraw from the coalition by Jan. 10, which would mean the government would no longer have a majority in Parliament. NeÄas said he wants to continue cooperating with LIDEM, but Peake cannot head the defence ministry. She will keep her deputy prime minister post.
