Czech former chief spycatcher running for president

Randak said as a private individual he did not have enough opportunities to combat corruption in the Czech Republic.

He said he would discontinue his membership of the board of the anti-corruption fund of businessman Karel Janecek over his presidential candidature.

Randak said along with collecting signatures, he would address independent senators.

"Some findings I have arrived at and tried to present have made me conclude that there is a need to do something with the general mood of corruption, cronyism, nepotism and similar phenomena in our country," Randak said.

He said as a "private individual" he encountered some limits as he could not sufficiently influence the developments in the country, while both he and his family were exposed to pressure due to his activity.

"A president can influence processes going on in the country in media outlets and by his work," he added.

Randak has thus joined the pool of over 20 candidates.

According to the latest polls, former caretaker prime minister Jan Fischer and former Social Democrat prime minister Milos Zeman are having the biggest chances of winning the first direct presidential election in March 2013.

Randak has set up a transparent election account and will launch the webpage www.karelrandak.cz. next week.

Randak, 57, was sacked from the post of head of civilian counter-intelligence by the government of Mirek Topolanek (Civic Democratic Party, ODS) in 2006.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz