Czech president and his predecessor both treated in same hospital

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IMAGE COPYRIGHT / AFP/

Czech President Milos Zeman has been taken to hospital, his spokesperson said on Tuesday, without disclosing the reason or his anticipated length of stay.

A separate adviser to the president told Czech Radio that it was a matter of routine examinations.

Zeman’s predecessor, Vaclav Klaus, is also receiving treatment at the same hospital in Prague.

Zeman, 76, suffers from a nerve disorder that makes it difficult for him to walk. He often uses a wheelchair during public appearances. He has been hospitalized several times in the past.

Zeman was re-elected to a second five-year term in January 2018 and keeps an active schedule. He recently hosted German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on a visit to the Czech Republic.

In 2013, Zeman became the first Czech president to be directly elected by the people following a constitutional amendment.
Klaus, 80, is also staying at Prague’s Military University Hospital. Klaus was being treated for high blood pressure, his spokesperson told new channel CT24.

The Czech Republic is set to conduct parliamentary elections on October 8-9.

The presidency is largely ceremonial, but does play a key role in the decision on who is picked to form a government.