In the petition Nation for Itself! the signatories demand the recall of Hanáková

Prague - The signatories and initiators of the petition National to Itself!, which was read today by actor Ondřej Pavelka at the National Theatre (ND), disagree with the dismissal of theatre director Ondřej Černý, oppose the appointment of the ministry's economic deputy Martin Sankot to his position, and demand the removal of Alena Hanáková (TOP 09 and STAN) from her ministerial position. The leadership of ND informed Prime Minister Petr Nečas (ODS) of the petition's content in an open letter.
      The petition campaign was launched in the presence of several dozen people at the theatre's piazza in the center of Prague. People can add their signatures on the website www.narodsobe.eu. Among the signatories are, for example, Jan Kačer, Petr Čtvrtníček, Soňa Červená, Jiří Ornest, and David Prachař. "It is not possible for someone to be dismissed on a whim and without justification," said another signatory, actress Petra Špalková, to ČTK.
      Hanáková suddenly dismissed director Černý on Friday. She justified this by stating that the merger of ND and the State Opera Prague (SOP), which began at the beginning of the year, is not progressing quickly enough. The events of recent days, according to the petition authors, are "just one of the stones in the mosaic of the current moral crisis of society and especially its political representation."
      Against the dismissal of Černý and his replacement by deputy Sankot, there have also been voices from director Lucie Bělohradská, playwright Daniela Fischerová, and screenwriter Jana Knitlová. "We protest against the fact that the leadership of such a complicated and demanding system is entrusted to a person without experience in the theatre sector. The actions of the Ministry of Culture seem unprofessional, offensive, and destructive for the atmosphere of society," they stated in their declaration.
      The spokesperson for the Ministry of Culture, Markéta Ševčíková, in response to the open letter to Alena Hanáková before today's petition event, stated that the ministry cannot revoke any of the steps taken in recent days as the founder of ND. The minister is scheduled to meet with the theatre's management on Tuesday morning regarding this matter.
      The Prime Minister, or someone from his collaborators, is also prepared to meet with representatives of the scene. The Prime Minister expects that the Minister of Culture will also be able to justify her actions, conveyed ČTK spokesman Michal Schuster regarding Nečas's stance.