It is also “unlikely” that the 77-year-old will be able to resume his work, according to the letter from which Vystrcil quoted in a press conference called at short notice.
A long-term prognosis for Zeman’s state of health is “extremely uncertain,” the doctors continued. Vystrcil had asked the hospital management for information on Zeman’s state of health after days of speculation about him. The Czech media criticized the presidential chancellery for providing only sporadic and poorly transparent information about Zeman’s situation.
The state president currently plays an important role, as he has to give the mandate to form a government after the parliamentary elections on October 8th and 9th. However, Zeman had already been taken to hospital the day after the election and an initial conversation with the defeated Prime Minister Andrej Babis. He is being treated there in the intensive care unit.
Vystrcil indicated at the press conference that it was time to activate Article 66 of the Constitution on the incapacity of the president. This enables the power of the head of state to be transferred to the head of government and the head of the House of Representatives if the president cannot exercise his office for health reasons. Activation of the constitutional article must be approved by both chambers of parliament.
