According to the doctors treating him in the military hospital in Prague, the Czech President Miloš Zeman is currently unable to carry out his duties.

This is also “unlikely” in the future, the doctors informed Senate President Miloš Vystrčil in a letter on Monday, as he announced on Monday evening

Stephan Löwenstein

Political correspondent based in Vienna.

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The President plays an important role in the current formation of a government in the Czech Republic, but has been in the intensive care unit of the military hospital since the day after the parliamentary elections on October 8th and 9th. The election produced a new majority that Babiš would like to replace. Five parties that have entered into two electoral alliances are negotiating a coalition, which the chairman of the liberal-conservative ODS, Petr Fiala, is to lead as prime minister. Babiš remains in office until a new head of government is appointed.

Vystrčil, who is an ODS politician, referred to Article 66 of the Constitution on the incapacity of the President, which is to be determined by both Houses of Parliament.

In this case, the head of government (currently Andrej Babiš) and the President of the House of Representatives (currently Radek Vondráček, a politician of the Babiš party ANO) exercise the powers and duties of the head of state.

A quick change to the top of the state is not possible

However, the session of the old parliament ends on Thursday, the new House of Representatives meets on November 8th.

Then a new President of Parliament should also be elected.

Until then, Vystrčil will act as President of the Senate.

A quick change in the highest state office is not possible, as the state president is determined in a direct election.

Babiš said that evening that he wanted to discuss the next steps with the elected representatives.

He named the Senate and the representatives of the new parliamentary majority.

"This is of course surprising information, certainly not good news," said Babiš of the doctors' report on Zeman.

"The question arises as to whether it is a permanent condition or whether there is any chance of recovery." Fiala spoke of serious news.

Cross-party consensus is now necessary.

Return in the next few weeks "very unlikely"

Vystrčil gave three pieces of information from the Central Military Hospital at his press conference. Firstly, “for health reasons, President Miloš Zeman is currently unable to perform any official duties”. Second, the likelihood of a return to the performance of official duties in the next few weeks is considered "very unlikely" as the prognosis is "extremely uncertain" given the severity of the disease. Thirdly, the head of the presidential chancellery, Vratislav Mynář, had already been informed of this opinion of the hospital in the early morning of October 13 - that is, last Wednesday - also in writing.

This is explosive because the day after Mynář brought the President of Parliament Vondráček to Zeman behind the back of the doctors.

Vondráček then showed a signature that Zeman had allegedly given to a letter convening the new House of Representatives for November 8, the latest possible date, and claimed that he had found the president in good shape and in good spirits.

At a press conference, Zeman's wife asked the public for patience, saying that the President needed time, then he would recover.

During the past week, “Chancellor” Mynář refused to comply with the Senate President's request to answer the question about the eligibility for office.

That is why Vystrčil contacted the hospital directly.