Oto Klempíř, the Czech Minister of Culture, announced the dismissal of Alicja Knastová, the general director of the National Gallery in Prague, on Thursday. This decision has been confirmed by gallery spokesperson Jana Holcová. In the interim, Olga Kotková, the head of the museum's Old Art Collection, will take over leadership duties. Klempíř's rationale for this move has not been publicly stated, leading to speculation among critics about potential underlying motives for the change in leadership.

Former minister Martin Baxa, who preceded Klempíř, urged that the current minister justify his actions, alluding to concerns from the broader cultural community about the implications of this leadership shakeup. As discussions unfold, there are fears that such changes reflect deeper issues within the ministry and the art community, especially emphasizing a potential link to concerns regarding Slovakia's influence, as inferred from Baxa's comments regarding a