Former Prague mayor ascends world´s second highest peak K2

Hamor writes they reached the K2 summit at 11:15 local time, without using oxygen bottles.

Now they are back in the fourth camp, preparing for further descent.

Adam Simcik, who is an assistant of Bem as a deputy, told CTK that he can neither confirm nor refute the information because it was a private matter of Bem on which he has no information.

Bem excused himself from the Chamber of Deputies´ recent session, citing personal reasons. The next session is scheduled for September.

While mayor of Prague (2002-2010), Bem became the tenth Czech to successfully ascend Mount Everest in May 2007. He then faced criticism for his two-month absence from the Prague City Hall. He was also criticised by President Vaclav Klaus, who, nevertheless, eventually congratulated him.

Bem, 49, is said to have conquered the highest summits of all continents. He reportedly completed the Seven Summits project in February 2011 by ascending Aconcagua.

Bem faced a scandal this March when daily Mlada fronta Dnes published transcripts of the phone conversations he had, in his capacity as Prague mayor for the Civic Democrats (ODS), with lobbyist Roman Janousek. It ensued from them that Janousek influenced key decisions made by the ODS-controlled Prague City Hall.

Bem had his ODS membership suspended over the scandal.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz