PM wants FinMin to make sure ČEZ abides by law

Prague, Feb 4 (CTK) - Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer yesterday urged Finance Minister Eduard Janota and other shareholders of the state-controlled energy utility CEZ to see to that CEZ's practices be in harmony with law, he said in a press release given to CTK.

Fischer emphasised that no institution can create units or groups pursuing activities to which only the state is empowered.

Earlier this week it turned out that CEZ inspectors in charge of detecting power fee defaulters underwent training in shooting and other combat skills in the past years.

At present some of them have been accused of blackmailing clients.

CEZ defends itself saying these employees need the training as they often face dangerous situations.

"The prime minister believes that everyone, both citizens and companies, have the inalienable right to protection against crime and against activities having symptoms of crime," Fischer's spokesman Roman Prorok said.

He said, nevertheless, Fischer considers it out of the question that anyone should apply other means, instruments and methods than what is in harmony with law within this protection.

On Tuesday, a small extra-parliamentary party disclosed videos showing CEZ employees training shooting, among others. Another video showed a man shooting himself dead during the CEZ inspectors' visit to his house.

Since 2008, some 30 CEZ employees have faced the accusation of blackmailing clients. They reportedly entered the clients' plots without authorisation and forced them to pay high sums for "illegal power consumption."

CEZ general director Martin Roman on Wednesday admitted that "mistakes" were made in 2005 when the inspection unit was established.

He said the unit was founded after CEZ unveiled the first [power-intensive] illegal facility for growing marijuana. Last year it carried out 5497 checks and uncovered 3322 cases of illegal power consumption.

Since its establishment the unit has uncovered almost 15,000 such cases, thus saving over 500 million crowns for CEZ's clients, Roman said.

He said CEZ uses ten trained men in the most dangerous actions where their lives may be threatened.

CEZ does not plan to organise a similar training any more, Roman said.

He ruled out the police or military's assistance in the trainings videoed in 2005 and 2006.

Roman has temporarily put off duty Karel Vanis, head of the inspection department. He wants to check whether Vanis had a gun with him during an inspection, Ladislav Kriz spokesman said.

Kriz said Vanis had with him a private, legally-held gun during one of the inspections in 2006.

Kriz said Roman only learnt about it yesterday.

On Wednesday, Roman defended Vanis and his staff, arguing they often risked their lives during the inspections.

Pending the end of investigation, Vanis will be relegated to office work and will not take part in inspections in the field.