Turek had faced criticism from President Petr Pavel over past racist, homophobic and extremist social media posts, and has yet to secure a meeting with Pavel to clear the way for his appointment.
Babiš’ new government includes his own populist ANO party, the anti-EU, anti-green Motorists and the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy. Under its new PM Czechia has quickly joined arms with regional neighbors Slovakia and Hungary in rejecting aid for Ukraine, and like Bratislava and Budapest now also opposes the bloc’s ETS2 emissions allowances and other climate measures.
Macinka will run the environment ministry on an interim basis until Pavel approves Turek or appoints another candidate. He is also Czechia’s foreign minister in the new government, and accompanied Babiš to Brussels on Wednesday for the European Council summit while separately attending a meeting of the far-right Patriots for Europe group.
Outgoing Environment Minister Petr Hladík described his successor’s actions as “populist and driven by a fossil fuel ideology.”
“If experts are dismissed from the ministry, I honestly don’t know who will represent Czechia in international and European negotiations, who will negotiate on Czechia’s behalf on issues that form a broad agenda in the EU, or who will draft expert positions, legislation, and implementing decrees,” Hladík told Czech media.