Court rules state will have to apologise for Czech president’s false comment

President Miloš Zeman’s statement that he had fired his former advisor Zdeněk Šarapatka for incompetence was wrong and the state will have to issue an official apology on his behalf, the District Court for Prague 1 ruled on Wednesday.

The president’s comment was made in the weekly interview show “Week With the President” on TV Barrandov in 2017. Mr Šarapatka subsequently filed a lawsuit proving he had sent a resignation letter and subsequently left after a mutual agreement.

The apology will be issued by the Ministry of Finance, because the head of state cannot be sued personally.