Zeman would keep chancellor Weigl

Prague, Jan 22 (CTK) - Czech presidential candidate Milos Zeman (Party of Citizens' Rights, SPOZ), former Social Democrat prime minister, would keep current presidential chancellor Jiri Weigl in his post if elected, he said in an interview with radio Impuls Tuesday.

Zeman will compete with Foreign Minister and TOP 09 chairman Karel Schwarzenberg for presidency in the direct election run-off on January 25-26.

"I have not heard any bigger complaints about the professional performance of Jiri Weigl during the about ten years he has held the post," Zeman said.

Weigl has been a long-time collaborator of outgoing President Vaclav Klaus, whose second and last five-year term expires on March 7.

Last year media said he also became director of the Vaclav Klaus Institute public-benefit company, that is to be one of Klaus's main focuses after he leaves the presidential post.

Zeman also spoke about the amnesty Klaus declared in his New Year's speech and that has aroused a strong controversy because it also relates to some big corruption and fraud cases.

He said a number of speculations have emerged in this connection that deny one another, and this also relates to the authorship.

"I am of the very simple opinion. Irrespective of the authors, it is naturally the president who is responsible for it because he approves it with his signature," Zeman said.