Czech PM avoids bribery charges

Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas will not be prosecuted on corruption charges stemming from a criminal complaint filed by defence lawyer Václav Láska. Láska’s complaint alleges the prime minister promised three Civic Democrats deputies lucrative posts in firms if they voted in favor of the government’s tax package. “Your reservations are just speculation, not based on any specific evidence,” state attorney Šárka Pokorná said in a statement.
A criminal complaint was also filed against the three former deputies, Marek Šnajdr, Petr Tluchoř and Ivan Fuksa, whom Láska suspects of taking the bribe. The deputies, who were long opposed to the government’s tax proposal, abruptly changed their stance in November, allowing the package to pass in Parliament. In December, Šnajdr was appointed a member of the supervisory board of the company Čepro, while Fuksa was named managing director of Czech Aeroholding in January.