Nečas wants Public Affairs to explain alleged bribery

Prague, April 4 (CTK) - The Public Affairs (VV, a minor coalition member) should explain the statement by its deputy Jaroslav Skarka that he gets money from people around Transport Minister Vit Barta (VV) to keep silent about the party's funding, Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democratic Party, ODS) said yesterday.

Skarka, deputy chairman of the VV, told the weekly Respekt out on Monday that he received money to be loyal and keep silent about the party's funding.

He said VV deputies Michal Babak and Radim Vyslouzil were bringing him money in an envelope.

Skarka also said other VV deputies, including VV chairman and Interior Minister Radek John, were offered money.

Barta, widely considered the VV's strongman, John and Babak have dismissed Skarka's statements, Respekt wrote.

Petr Gazdik, chairman of the deputies for TOP 09, another coalition government member, said Skarka's words were not trustworthy.

The opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) have said this was a serious corruption suspicion the VV should explain.

"If the statement by Skarka proved true, the situation would be naturally very serious," Necas said.

"However, the statements by VV senior officials differ and Skarka himself is now speaking about a hoax. In my view, this is an extremely silly and unhappy way of communicating with the media," Necas said.

Necas said in his capacity as prime minister and ODS leader he would demand that the coalition partner clearly explain the affair.

"A politician who discloses such an important thing to a journalist, but denies it a few moments later naturally does not seem to be very trustworthy," Gazdik said.

However, the case is now "an affair of the Public Affairs (VV)," Gazdik said.

"At first, the party must explain it in its interior and then to the public. I firmly believe no criminal act has occurred," he added.

CSSD leader Bohuslav Sobotka said if the information carried by Respekt were proved, it would be the biggest corruption scandal in the Chamber of Deputies.

"The VV must clearly explain the serious corruption suspicion to the public. An explanation should also be demanded by Necas, Chamber of Deputies chairwoman Nemcova (ODS) as well as law-enforcement bodies and the tax administration," Sobotka said.

"If some VV deputies were involved in bribery or were corrupted by the party leadership, they should immediately give up their deputies' mandates," Sobotka said in a press release.