Prague, June 19 (CTK) – The acquittal of an attacker who killed a Czech citizen in London last September and the independence of the judiciary were among the issues Czech President Milos Zeman discussed with Guido Raimondi, European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) president, today.
The Italian judge is visiting the Czech Republic which is holding the half-year rotating presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.
Zeman also mentioned the recent acquittal of the man who killed the Czech citizen during his visit to Britain last week.
Vlastimil Gottinger, head of the Czech Constitutional Court (US) external relations and protocol department, told CTK Raimondi said he cannot comment on the case before it is submitted to the ECHR.
In addition, he does not know details of the case. Anyway, it is still possible to turn to the ECHR, he added.
Gottinger said Zeman was also interested in the EU’s accession to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Raimondi said opinions are coming closer to one another and this will also continue in human rights protection, Gottlinger said.
Presidential spokesman Jiri Ovcacek said Zeman also mentioned his prepared visit to Strasbourg, the ECHR seat, on the occasion of the Czech presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.
The visit has been prepared for this autumn, Ovcacek said.
Tonight, Raimondi will dine with Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD).
They will meet again at an international conference on the obligatoriness of court decisions in Brno tomorrow, at which Raimondi will make the major speech. US chairman Pavel Rychtesky will deliver a supplementary speech.
Raimondi will also attend a luncheon to be hosted in his honour by the Supreme Court in cooperation with the US.
Before he leaves the Czech Republic on Wednesday, Raimondi will visit the Czech Bar Association, Gottlinger said.
ms/dr/pv
