Former Prague mayors Hudeček and Svoboda receive suspended sentences over Open Card

Former mayor Bohuslav Svoboda and Tomáš Hudeček and two former IT city councillors on Thursday received suspended sentences from two to three years in connection with the case of the Prague Opencard. They were found guilty of signing disadvantageous contracts with the original Opencard provider Haguess. The Opencard, a controversial multi-use transit card which went far over budget, was introduced by former mayor Pavel Bém and has cost the city 1.74 billion crowns. It is still in use but it is being gradually replaced by a new electronic pass, called Lítačka. Bohuslav Svoboda has already appealed the verdict.

Author: Ruth Fraňková