Slouf asked to leave party because of contacts with the underworld

Miroslav Slouf, who served as advisor to the former prime minister Milos Zeman, has been asked to leave the Social Democratic Party because of his contacts with people from the underworld. In an interview for the Mlada Fronta Dnes daily, Slouf admitted to having had frequent contacts with the murdered mafia boss Frantisek Mrazek who was suspected of extensive fraud and conspiracy to murder. Shortly after the interview was published Social Democrat leader Jiri Paroubek said Slouf should leave the party without delay and he advised the ruling Civic Democrats to cut all contacts with him immediately. During Milos Zeman's administration in the years between 1998 and 2002 Miroslav Slouf was one of the most influential figures behind the scenes. It is feared that the man who advised the then-prime minister was himself advised by a mafia boss.