Presidential office head debunks Zeman hospitalization rumors as "nonsense"

President Miloš Zeman will not be hospitalized again, Presidential Office head Vratislav Mynář told CTK today, calling speculations that the president was on his death bed "nonsense" and saying that the Monday home visit of Miroslav Zavoral, the doctor treating the president, to the Lány presidential manor was a visit planned in advance.

Mynář said he and Prague's Central Military Hospital (ÚVN) director Zavoral agreed about one year ago that the doctor would see Zeman on a regular basis.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš talked to Zavoral this morning and Zavoral assured him that the president is well, he told journalists in Slovenia where he is on an official visit.

The ÚVN announced posted the news on its website that Zavoral had visited Zeman on Monday to provide health care.

Earlier this week the media and politicians speculated about the health condition of the 77-year-old president. Mynář said Zeman’s health condition is not serious. He told CTK that he spent two hours with Zeman on Tuesday and will meet him today again.

Babiš criticized such speculations. "It is not all right to permanently challenge the president’s ability to perform his post," he said. Babiš and Zeman will not meet before the elections that will be held on Friday and Saturday.

ÚVN spokeswoman Jitka Zinke said the hospital will not give information on the issues connected with the care for a patient, in accordance with the law on medical services.

"The President is working in Lány, he signed the decrees of the awarded personalities and made preparations for the October 28 ceremony on Tuesday. The President is going to cast his vote on Friday. We will give more details on Thursday afternoon. The President is also preparing for the post-election negotiations, a plan of meetings is being created," Ovčáček tweeted this morning.

CNN Prima News television spokesman Matěj Štýs said today that Zeman would provide commentary on the results of the election to moderator Terezie Tománková at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday.

Daily Denik N wrote on Tuesday that Zavoral visited Zeman. Citing three well-informed sources, it reported that Zavoral recommended Zeman return to the hospital and undergo further examinations there.

In September, Zeman spent eight days in the ÚVN. His office first did not comment on the reasons for his hospitalization and only later it called it a recondition stay.

Ovčáček said Zeman had undergone a few medical check-ups that had not found any life-threatening problems. The president only suffered from dehydration and minor exhaustion and this is why he has received infusions, he said.

Immediately after being discharged from the hospital, Zeman continued in his working program in the Lány manor. The Castle administration face blowback for concealing details about the president's most recent hospital stay for so long. Legal experts were divided on whether the president's health should be open for public discussion or kept private to protect his rights as a patient.

Former president Václav Klaus who was recently released from the same medical facility told Radio Impuls today that the president had a "liver problem," but can still use sound rational judgment.