Prague, Jan 31 (CTK) – The closest aides to Czech President Milos Zeman met at Prague Castle on Tuesday to tell him whether he should run for the head of state next year again, Zeman’s spokesman Jiri Ovcacek told journalists.
The participants in the meeting, whom Ovcacek called “the Prague Castle Seven,” did not comment on the result.
Ovcacek said Presidential Office head Vratislav Mynar, senior assistant Martin Nejedly, the foreign affairs section head Hynek Kmonicek and the analytical section head Radek Augustin were among those invited to the meeting.
Mynar told CTK that it was a friendly talk during which arguments in support and against the candidature were presented.
“The meeting was held, the president heard the opinions of his closest assistants and he would announce his decision on March 10, one day after a celebration of the anniversary of his inauguration.
Zeman was elected in early 2013. His five-year term will expire in March 2018.
The media has written that his health, primarily diabetes, may be a barrier to his new candidature.
Zeman, 72, said recently his health condition was stable.
Zeman told Czech Radio (CRo) last week that he may decide irrespective of the opinions of his aides.
Czech media speculate that Zeman has already made the decision and that he would be defending the presidential post in early 2018.
