President’s office plans legal action over cancer claim

The Office of the President says it is planning to take legal action against a Brno local politician who claimed that President Miloš Zeman was suffering from cancer and only had months left to live. Svatopluk Bartík of the group Žít Brno made the claim on social media.

However, Mr. Zeman’s spokesman described the allegation as a disgusting lie and referred to Mr. Bartík as human garbage. He said the Office of the President would file a complaint and criminal charges against the Brno politician.

On Wednesday the president’s doctor, Miloslav Kalaš, described the claim as completely fabricated and baseless. Mr Zeman, who has been head of state since 2013, this week registered to run for a second term in office.

Author: Ian Willoughby