Police start criminal proceedings in Promopro case

Prague, Feb 8 (CTK) - The Czech anti-corruption police started on Monday criminal proceedings in connection with the Government Office's dubious order for the Promopro firm allegedly for almost 551 million crowns during the Czech EU presidency, Roman Skrepek, spokesman for the elite police squad, told CTK Tuesday.

He said the police are checking the suspicion that the criminal offence of breach of trust was committed.

If found guilty, the perpetrator would face up to eight years in prison.

Skrepek said the criminal offence may have been committed in 2008 when the contract on the provision of audiovisual equipment for EU presidency events to be held in Prague and other regions in the first half of 2009 was approved and signed without a tender.

The current Defence Minister Alexandr Vondra (senior government Civic Democrats, ODS), who was then deputy PM for European affairs, was with his team in charge of the Czech EU presidency's organisation.

Vondra said he did not personally negotiate and sign the suspicious contract with Promopro and he was not acquainted with it either.

Vondra said the then Government Office head Jan Novak was responsible. Novak dismissed this.

"I am glad that the police have started investigating it," Vondra said in a text message sent to CTK.

He considers it very important that the whole case will be investigated thoroughly, he added.

He promised he would cooperate with the investigators.

The office headed by Vondra placed the order for audiovisual equipment lease and operation at the Czech EU presidency events without a tender. The price of the order increased up to nine times against the original plan, according to some sources.

Politicians, media and the company's representatives stated various figures when asked about the final price of the order, which caused doubts.

The Government Office spokesman Jan Osuch announced at the end that the government paid almost 551 million crowns to Promopro, including VAT. This sum was checked by two audits, Osuch added.

The Finance Ministry's fiscal analytical section filed a legal complaint over the suspicious order.

The case stirred up a fuss on the political scene.

The leftist opposition called on Vondra to resign.

Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek (TOP 09) said the "Promopro case" was more serious than the affair of former environment minister and ODS deputy head Pavel Drobil who resigned as environment minister last December over the suspected corruption at the State Environmental Fund (SFZP) subordinate to his ministry.

Former prime minister and ex-ODS chairman Mirek Topolanek (ODS), who headed the cabinet during the EU presidency, criticised Vondra for trying to avoid responsibility for the dubious order.

Topolanek also previously supported Novak in the case.