President’s chancellor in hot water over suspicious property purchase

The head of the president’s office is all over Wednesday’s front pages following reports that he bought a villa in a leafy Prague suburb for a suspiciously low price. Chancellor Vratislav Mynář’s purchase has raised questions about his probity – and his continued failure to acquire the security clearance he needs for the post.

Photo: CTK

Vratislav Mynář’s position as head of President Miloš Zeman’s office has come under pressure following the revelation that he picked up a Functionalist villa for the eye-catchingly low sum of CZK 5.5 million.

Normally that figure would get you a relatively nice flat in Prague. Some real estate experts have said the site alone is worth that much.

The president’s chancellor bought the property in the suburb of Strašnice from a lawyer linked to well-connected businessman Roman Janoušek.

Newspaper reports point to murky machinations surrounding the villa in the past, with its second last owner selling it on – at a considerable loss – for even less than the figure paid by Mr. Mynář.

The head of the president’s office denies any wrongdoing, telling Czech Television that the building needs significant work.

Vratislav Mynář, photo: Filip Jandourek

“I know just one thing: I bought the villa for a price higher than that paid by the man who sold it to me. I don’t see anything bad in that – especially since inspecting the interior of the property with real estate experts. I know that it requires complete renovation, just preserving the exterior. At this moment the price doesn’t seem low to me.”

Over the years Mr. Mynář has run a number of companies in areas including waste disposal and extracting fines from fare-dodgers. He also headed President Zeman’s former party.

Mr. Zeman made him his chancellor shortly after coming to office in early 2013. Since then, however, he has failed to acquire the top-secret level security clearance he requires to accompany his boss at important international meetings, including NATO summits.

The head of state has in the past said he would sack Mr. Mynář if he did not get the clearance “within months”, though to date he has failed to take action.

There have been suggestions that the suspicions raised by the purchase of the villa could make the National Security Office less likely to rubberstamp his application.

Miloš Zeman, photo: Filip Jandourek

At the same time, the new development could justify a further delay in the screening process, which must normally be carried out within nine months.

Mr. Zeman’s spokesman said it was up to the chancellor to clear up the matter, insisting that the president was not planning to remove him at present. But time may still be running out for Vratislav Mynář at Prague Castle.