Zeman denies knowing if cabinet members were aware of situation surrounding huge fraud

The Czech president, Miloš Zeman, says that when he was prime minister in 1999 he did not know whether any members of his cabinet were aware of information regarding the ownership of the company Appian. It bought a huge mining company in a deal that last week saw the latter’s former managers found guilty of large-scale fraud in a Swiss court. Mr. Zeman made the comments on a visit to the central Bohemian town of Nymburk on Thursday. One of those convicted, Antonín Koláček, said some members of Mr. Zeman’s government knew that he and his associates were behind Appian.

Author: Ian Willoughby