Prague, Sept 23 (CTK) – The National Security Office (NBU) has refused to issue security vetting of a strictly confidential level to Vratislav Mynar, Czech President Milos Zeman’s office head, daily Pravo writes Wednesday.
Zeman has been informed about the decision. NBU head Dusan Navratil met him twice over the Mynar case in the past days, Pravo writes.
“I do not comment on commentaries in Pravo, I will wait fot the decision by the National Security Office,” Zeman said during his visit to the Moravia Silesia Region Wednesday, in reaction to the report on Mynar’s vetting.
Zeman said in the past if Mynar did not pass security clearance, he would not be able to keep the post of the Presidential Office’s head.
Politicians, addressed by CTK, agreed that Mynar should leave the post if he did not receive the security vetting.
They expressed hope that Zeman would act in harmony with his statement and would not keep Mynar in the post.
TOP 09 MEP Vera Kovarova said she would like the Chamber of Deputies security committee to debate the matter. However, Its chairman Roman Vana (Social Democrats, CSSD) said he would consider it pointless.
“The president clearly said that if his office head did not get security vetting, he must leave. So I expect the president to keep his word,” opposition TOP 09 deputy chairman Miroslav Kalousek said.
Human Rights Minister Jiri Dienstbier (CSSD) also referred to Zeman’s previous words.
Mynar asked for the vetting in 2013 and the process was launched a year later, daily Mlada fronta Dnes (MfD) reported previously.
NBU spokesman Radek Holy told CTK that the office must not comment on particular security vettings, it can only release general comments.
“The respective information is included in the security file and the law defines that the data in security files can be used only for the fulfilment of tasks under this law. The NBU would violate law by providing them for other purposes or to other persons,” Holy said.
Zeman’s spokesman Jiri Ovcacek refused to comment on Mynar’s security vetting.
The NBU’s decision has not taken effect yet.
Mynar can appeal it and Navratil would decide on his appeal. If he rejected it, Mynar can also bring a lawsuit with the Prague Municipal Administrative Court and then file a cassation complaint with the Supreme Administrative Court as the last resort.
The reasons for the NBU’s decision are not known yet.
However, speculations have emerged saying some of Mynar’s business contacts might be an obstacle. Mynar has dismissed this repeatedly.
Some experts point out that the security vetting might be complicated by Mynar’s dubious purchase of a villa in Prague-Strasnice neighbourhood .
He bought it from defence lawyer Vit Siroky, who has represented the convicted lobbyist Roman Janousek, for 5.5 million crowns. However, real estate agents claim that the market price would be at least twice as high in this locality.
Mynar says he cannot see any suspicious circumstances accompanying the transaction.
