Graubner against Zeman? The archbishop distanced himself from the presentation of the Conspiracy book

Prague Archbishop Jan Graubner distanced himself from the event at which the book Conspiracy about the circumstances surrounding the hospitalization of former President Miloš Zeman in 2021 was presented in the Archbishop’s Palace in Hradčany last week. Graubner did not have the necessary information about the lease, according to a statement by the Czech Bishops’ Conference (ČBK) her website. The Prague archdiocese also published the statement on its website.

The book Conspiracy by Luboš Procházka and Radim Panenka describes Zeman’s hospitalization in the fall of 2021 and the events at that time, which, according to the authors, were aimed at removing Zeman from the powers of the head of state. The publication was blessed by Cardinal Dominik Duka, who also wrote a speech for the book. In addition to Zeman, former castle chancellor Vratislav Mynář, ex-prime minister Jiří Paroubek, former head of the Lány Forestry Administration Miloš Balák and MEP Kateřina Konečná (KSČM) also attended the presentation of the book.

“We consider the meeting in the Archbishop’s Palace in connection with the book ‘Conspiracy’ to be a deplorable event and we are aware of the outrage it caused among people, which is evidenced by a considerable number of reactions, especially from the ranks of Catholics. We understand these reactions, we hear them and we take them seriously, ” the bishops said in a joint statement.

At the joint meeting, Graubner distanced himself from the event. He explained to the bishops that the Archbishop’s Palace was rented without having the necessary information for the event. Pilsen Bishop Tomáš Holub appreciated on the X network that the statement distancing himself from the presentation of the book Conspiracy at the Prague Archbishopric was unanimously accepted by the bishops.

The bishops also agreed on arrangements for holding public events in church premises. “When renting these spaces, the ecclesiastical and secular dimensions of such events will be consistently separated, including the appropriateness of the presence of a church representative,” the bishops said.