Czech Police Probing Possible 'Crime Against Republic' Over President Zeman's Hospitalisation

© REUTERS / David W CernyFILE PHOTO: Czech President Milos Zeman attends his inauguration ceremony at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, March 8, 2018, after being re-elected
FILE PHOTO: Czech President Milos Zeman attends his inauguration ceremony at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, March 8, 2018, after being re-elected - Sputnik International, 1920, 19.10.2021
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Last week, Prague's Central Military Hospital announced that 77-year-old Czech President Milos Zeman's health is in stable condition.
The Czech police said on Monday that they have launched an investigation into the presidential administration in connection with possible violations in informing the public about the health of President Milos Zeman.
"Taking into account the new information, which was announced at the press conference of the head of the Senate of the republic, the police will begin an investigation over possible illegal actions that can be seen as signs of criminal offences against the republic", the police said in a statement.
The constitutional commission of the Czech upper chamber has, meanwhile, proposed launching a procedure to deprive President Milos Zeman of his powers due to the impossibility of him fulfilling his responsibilities for health reasons, according to commission head Zdenek Graba.
"The members of our commission thoroughly studied the document on President Milos Zeman's health condition that the Senate received from the Central Military Hospital in Prague, where the president is receiving treatment. The document directly states that the president is not able to fulfill his official duties. Moreover, due to the nature of the disease, the long-term assessment of the president's condition is extremely uncertain. Therefore, our commission proposes activating Article 66 of the national constitution on the temporary deprivation of the president of the republic's powers", Graba told reporters on Tuesday.
This comes after 77-year-old Zeman was earlier admitted to Prague's Central Military Hospital where he was placed in an intensive care unit.
The hospital announced last week that the Czech president remains in stable condition. The hospital's director, Miroslav Zavoral, previously said he was not allowed to disclose Zeman's diagnosis.
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The politician was also hospitalised in September, amid media reports that his health was in rapid decline. Zeman has been suffering from diabetic neuropathy in his feet, so he has recently been using a wheelchair.
The latest hospitalisation comes as Zeman is expected to lead political talks on the formation of a new government following parliamentary elections. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis earlier said that he would lead these talks if the president asked him to do so.
On 9 October, the day before Zeman was hospitalised, the centrist party ANO (Yes) led by Babis, narrowly lost elections in the Czech Republic to a liberal-conservative three-party coalition named Together, which captured 27.8% of the vote, beating Babis' ANO, which won 27.1%.
Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis arrives at a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium, June 30, 2019.  - Sputnik International, 1920, 09.10.2021
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The Czech president previously made it clear he would appoint the leader of the strongest party, but not the strongest coalition, to try to form the government. That might give Prime Minister Babis a chance to form his own majority for a possible new cabinet.
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