Miloš Zeman

Miloš Zeman
3rd Prime Minister of the Czech Republic
In office 17 July 1998 – 12 July 2002
Preceded by	Josef Tošovský
Succeeded by	Vladimír Špidla
Chairman of Czech Social Democratic Party
In office 28 February 1993 – April 2001
Preceded by	Jiří Horák
Succeeded by	Vladimír Špidla
Personal details
Born	28 August 1944 (1944-08-28) (age 67) Kolín, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
Religion	None (Atheist)[1]

Miloš Zeman (Czech pronunciation: [ˈmɪloʃ ˈzɛman] ( listen); born 28 September 1944 in Kolín) is a well-known Czech politician. He was a member and leader of the Czech Social Democratic Party, former speaker of the chamber of deputies (lower house of the Czech parliament) from 1996 until 1998, and the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic from 1998 until 2002. He was a frequent rival of Václav Klaus. Zeman transformed a weak Czech Social Democratic Party into one of the country's major parties along with the Civic Democratic Party.

He was replaced by Vladimír Špidla as party leader. Zeman then retired and moved to live in the countryside (Vysočina Region). His nomination for Czech president failed six months later (to Václav Klaus) due to party disunity. Zeman became an outspoken critic of former party's leaders.

He is known for his sharp, even insulting, speeches and wit. The Czech economy became stronger during his tenure as prime minister.

He left the Czech Social Democratic Party on 21 March 2007 due to conflicts with the current leader and chairman of the Czech Social Democratic Party Jiří Paroubek. During a visit of President Klaus in Zeman's countryside home in September 2007, Zeman agreed with Klaus that human activity probably could not influence global warming.^[2][3]

In October 2009, he founded the Party of Civic Rights – Zemanovci.

The party received money from Zeman's right-hand man Miroslav Slouf:^[4]

While denying allegations that it is financed by LUKoil, the party admits taking money from Russian-connected lobbyists. Chief among them is Miroslav Slouf, a former communist youth leader whose Slavia Consulting company brokered the LUKoil deal to supply Prague's airport. Slouf, who is known to be LUKoil's main promoter in the Czech Republic, also happens to be Zeman's right-hand man.

Slouf has been filmed on numerous occasions entering and leaving buildings belonging to the Russian embassy in the Prague 6 district.^[5]

In June 2011, Zeman, referring to Islam, said "The enemy is the anti-civilisation spreading from North Africa to Indonesia. Two billion people live in it." He likened Muslims who believe in the Qur'an to antisemitic and racist Nazis. A complaint was lodged against him following the comments.^[6]

References

1. ^ Zeman versus Bůh
2. ^ http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/index_view.php?id=271714
3. ^ http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/index_view.php?id=271712
4. ^ Czech Power Games: How Russia Is Rebuilding Influence In The Former Soviet Bloc. RFE/EL. 26 September 2010
5. ^ Russian Energy Companies Expand Their Operations in Central Europe. Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 6 Issue: 55. 23 March 2009
6. ^ Former Czech PM sued over statements on Islam, 8 July 2011.

External links

• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Miloš Zeman at the Internet Movie Database
• Works by or about Miloš Zeman in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• Miloš Zeman collected news and commentary at The New York Times

Political offices
Preceded by Milan Uhde	Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic 1996–1998	Succeeded by Václav Klaus
Government offices
Preceded by Josef Tošovský	Prime Minister of the Czech Republic 1998–2002	Succeeded by Vladimír Špidla

Persondata
Name	Zeman, Milos
Alternative names
Short description	Prime minister of the Czech Republic
Date of birth	28 August 1944
Place of birth	Kolín, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
Date of death
Place of death