The former director of the Faculty Hospital (FN) Motol in Prague, Miloslav Ludvík, spoke to journalists on Friday after his release from custody. He denied all the accusations and declared that he never stole anything from the hospital and that he would defend himself. According to him, the police have evidence that he is innocent, reports TASR in Prague.
“I unequivocally reject the accusations, none of them are true. And the craziest thing is that the police have evidence that clearly shows that I didn’t do anything I’m accused of. People are in jail for signing something. I sat for 11 months because I didn’t sign,” Ludvík said, adding that he simply refused to sign the addendum to the price increase contracts.
He pointed out that he and the lawyer offered bail or various guarantees from the beginning of the trial, but the court refused to release him. “There was talk that I was going to run away, go into hiding, continue my criminal activities and total nonsense. And suddenly it works? What has changed?” asked the former warden in front of the prison. He thinks that he was bothering someone, and that’s why there was an effort to implicate him in something. Apparently, he also knows who could be behind it, but he did not want to comment further. He added that few people know as much about Czech healthcare and politics as he does.
“If I’m going to do something, I’m going to fight back!” declared Ludvík, and his voice suddenly broke. His interview with the journalists was emotional, tears came to his eyes repeatedly. He was said to have “waved” at being released. Since he is still an employee of the Motol hospital, he will have to go there and agree on what to do with the new management. “It’s going to be fun… it’s going to be exciting,” commented on the situation that awaits him.
He has been in custody since the police raid on the Motol hospital in February of last year. He is accused of taking bribes and manipulating public contracts. After the intervention, the police stated that Ludvík and his deputy Pavlo Budinský systematically abused the processes for awarding hospital public contracts. In the case, she accused 19 people who, according to her, were involved in damaging EU financial interests, subsidy fraud, bribery or money laundering. The main suspects face 12 years behind bars.
