Jacques Chirac was strong, competent president, Miloš Zeman notes on his death

Prague, Sept 26 (CTK) – Czech President Miloš Zeman considered former French president Jacques Chirac, who died aged 86 today, a competent and strong president, Zeman’s spokesman Jiri Ovcacek has told journalists.

Zeman will send a letter of condolences on Chirac’s death to France, Ovcacek said.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis (ANO), too, expressed sympathy to Chirac’s family.

“I will remember him as a strong man whose life was an embodiment of political success. Today, Europe lost a great Frenchman, a great politician,” he added.

Former president Vaclav Klaus (2003-2013) denoted Chirac as his good friend.

The statesmen of Chirac’s stature are disappearing in the world politics, Klaus said.

“I met him, he was a competent, strong and friendly president,” Ovcacek quoted Zeman as saying.

Zeman met Chirac at the beginning of the century, when he was the Czech prime minister and Chirac the president of France.

“I knew well Chirac. We met several times. I think we understood each other well and we were good friends,” said Klaus.

“At present, the statesmen of his type are disappearing in the world politics. France needs another, new Jacques Chirac,” he added.

Chirac was the president of France between 1995 and 2007.

pvr/dr/rtj