President praises state attorney for defying media opinion in case involving PM

Czech President Miloš Zeman has said he holds Jaroslav Šaroch, the state attorney who halted the prosecution of PM Andrej Babiš over suspected EU subsidy fraud, in high esteem, praising him for having the courage to defy the "the media gang” hounding the prime minister and change his position on the case. In an interview for commercial TV Barrandov, Mr. Zeman said Šaroch's report on the case should be available to the public.

The Prague Municipal State Attorney's Office said on Monday that Šaroch had changed his legal opinion on the case and that his superior is now checking whether the change is substantiated and in accordance with law.

Supreme State Attorney Pavel Zeman and Jusice Minister Marie Benešová, have both criticized the approach of the Prague state attorney’s office toward the case. In an interview for Denik N, Mrs. Benešová said the prosecutors’ work was incomprehensible and sent a bad signal about the state of the system of state attorneys.