Zeman to bestow high award on pop star Gott, wishes him recovery

Czech President Milos Zeman might present pop music star Karel Gott, 80, with a higher state award than the previous Medal of Merit, but would do so next year only, he said today, wishing Gott to combat acute leukemia he suffers from. Gott announced on Facebook today that he was diagnosed with acute leukemia and was subject to outpatient treatment. Zeman's presidential predecessor Vaclav Klaus bestowed a Medal of Merit of the First Degree on Gott in 2009.