State apologises to three MPs accused of taking posts to keep Necaš government in power

The Czech state has formally apologised to three former Civic Democrat MPs for their prosecution and remand. The Ministry of Justice on Saturday sent the apologies to Marek Šnajdr, Ivan Fuksa and Petr Tluchoř as well as media outlets. The three had been accused of taking bribes in the form of lucrative posts at semi-state companies in exchange for not bringing down a government headed by Petr Necaš of the Civic Democrats. However, a court ruled they could not be prosecuted as they had parliamentary immunity. Their arrest and that of Mr. Necaš’s then chief aide and now wife helped bring down his cabinet in 2013. The ex-politicians also received hundreds of thousands of crowns in financial compensation.

Author: Ian Willoughby