Czech PM´s statement may intimidate police - Zaoralek

However, the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of parliament, did not support the proposal by its deputy head Zaoralek that it deal with Necas´s statement.

The government ODS and TOP 09 vetoed his proposal.

On Wednesday, the police asked the Chamber of Deputies to release its deputy chairwoman Parkanova for prosecution on suspicion of abuse of public office and breach of trust.

Zaoralek today pointed to Necas´s statement during the question time in the lower house on Thursday.

"A gang of police colonels or lieutenant colonels will not decide on who will or will not be in the government via a request for release (for prosecution). It might not be the right step," Necas said then.

If "a gang of colonels" really exists, it is serious and the Chamber of Deputies should deal with it, Zaoralek said.

However, the opposition fears that Necas´s words can be classified as intimidation of the police and attorneys.

"I would not like to think that if the Chamber of Deputies is asked to release some opposition politician, it is the anti-corruption fight, but if it is asked for a government politician, then a gang of colonels is behind it," Zaoralek noted.

Parkanova is accused over a 3.5 billion crown contract on the acquisition of Spanish-made transport CASA planes. The police put the damage incurred at 658 million crowns since Parkanova in her capacity as defence minister did not order an expert opinion on the price of the CASA aircraft.

Deputies today also rejected CSSD MP Jan Hamacek´s proposal that the lower house debate the information from Necas and Defence Minister Alexandr Vondra (ODS) on the purchase of the CASA aircraft.

($1=20.345 crowns)

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz