Czech President says no-confidence vote not linked to amnesty

The special session was initiated by the opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) who are critical of the amnesty that also Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democrats, ODS) countersigned.

However, this, fifth attempt at voting no confidence in the current government will probably fail again with regard for the balance of forces in the lower house of parliament.

"It is exploiting the amnesty, the hysterical wave that has been created around it, for solving entirely different political themes, the struggle of the opposition against the government in this particular case," Klaus said.

He declared the amnesty in his New Year´s speech. Among others, it halts the prosecution that has continued for more than eight years and carries maximally ten years in prison. This relates to a number of big corruption and fraud cases.

"The philosophy of this amnesty was really taking shape for several years," Klaus said.

He said the first motive was to forgive low punishments for light criminal acts, the second was to release old people from prison.

"The third fundamental philosophical element of the amnesty was to halt the endlessly protracted criminal proceedings that our courts were unable to solve within a meaningful time," Klaus said.

He said it is nonsensical to single out individual cases of halted criminal proceedings.

"It is not true that I amnestied this or another specific person. I granted amnesty to a group of people with a certain type of punishment," he said.

Author: ČTK
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