Ex-defence minister Barták cleared of bribe-taking charges

The Prague High Court in Prague on Wednesday cleared a former defence minister, Martin Barták, of bribe-taking in connection with the purchase of Tatra all-terrain vehicles for the Czech army, confirming a previous verdict issued by a municipal court in May. Mr. Barták had been accused of asking the chairman of Tatra’s supervisory board for a bribe of USD 5 million to smooth the way to a deal with the Czech military for nearly 600 all-terrain trucks in 2008 while he was deputy defence minister. The chairman of the supervisory was William Cabannis, a former US ambassador to Prague. The ruling can be appealed at the Supreme Court.

Author: Ruth Fraňková