- Title: CZECH REPUBLIC: Czech parliament debates no-confidence motion
- Date: 18th July 2012
- Summary: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (JULY 18, 2012) (REUTERS) ( * BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) EXTERIOR OF CZECH PARLIAMENT BUILDING SIGN AT ENTRANCE READING: "PARLIAMENT OF CZECH REPUBLIC" PARLIAMENT IN SESSION CZECH FINANCE MINISTER MIROSLAV KALOUSEK WIPING SWEAT OFF HIS FACE MPs DURING SESSION PRIME MINISTER PETR NECAS DURING SESSION MPs TALKING MPs DISCUSSING KALOUSEK ADDRESSING PARLIAMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CZECH FINANCE MINISTER MIROSLAV KALOUSEK ADDRESSING PARLIAMENT, SAYING: "The police president is lying, he is not telling the truth. It is not Miroslav Kalousek's position but Petr Lessy's (Czech police president) position, and this position by Petr Lessy is being told here in the parliament and also in the media." MPs LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CZECH PRIME MINISTER PETR NECAS SAYING: "The prosecutor's office will have all the necessary conditions and freedoms to do its job. Also the independent courts will have all the freedom to decide whether the men, including politicians, accused of wrong-doing are guilty or innocent." NECAS ADDRESSING PARLIAMENT MPs IN SESSION
- Embargoed: 2nd August 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Czech Republic
- Country: Czech Republic
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA6LNI4KIPEVBLNS8OZEKKZE7DA
- Story Text: Czech parliament debates no-confidence motion in the government following a row over accusations of corruption which threatens to force its market-favoured finance minister to resign.
The Czech parliament on Wednesday (July 18) debated a no-confidence motion in the government following a row over accusations of corruption which threatens to force its market-favoured finance minister to resign.
The motion was initiated by the main Czech opposition party.
The government has a majority in parliament and will likely survive but there is growing pressure on Minister Miroslav Kalousek to quit given evidence that he tried to influence police investigators of an army procurement deal.
Police president Petr Lessy said at a parliamentary committee meeting last Friday that Kalousek made improper comments in a phone call to him last week in connection with an investigation of the purchase of transport planes in 2009.
"The police president is lying, he is not telling the truth. It is not Miroslav Kalousek's position but Petr Lessy's (Czech police president) position, and this position by Petr Lessy is being told here in the parliament and also in the media," said Kalousek addressing MPs on ahead of the vote.
Kalousek, a political veteran, is a leader of a junior coalition party and his ousting from the cabinet would shake the entire centre-right government. He denies putting any pressure on police officials.
The committee, dominated by the opposition, approved a non-binding resolution calling on Prime Minister Petr Necas to dismiss Kalousek.
"The prosecutor's office will have all the necessary conditions and freedoms to do its job. Also the independent courts will have all the freedom to decide whether the men, including politicians, accused of wrong-doing are guilty or innocent," said Necas addressing parliament.
In the last confidence vote in April, the government won 105 votes in the 200-seat chamber.
The affair is a blow to the EU country's political elite, struck by a series of graft scandals that have dominated political life in the past months. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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