Dienstbier warns judiciary threatened

Prague, Feb 20 (CTK) - Jiri Dienstbier, Czech opposition Social Democrat (CSSD) senator, yesterday said he is afraid of a well-thought-out plan aimed to stop positive changes in courts and state attorney's offices and linked with Vlastimil Rampula's return as head of the High State Attorney's Office in Prague.

Dienstbier, CSSD deputy chairman and shadow justice minister, reacted to the Prague City Court's verdict scrapping the dismissal of Rampula by Justice Minister Jiri Pospisil (Civic Democrats, ODS).

"The situation is really very serious. The preservation of the Czech judiciary's effectiveness and trustworthiness is at stake now," Dienstbier said.

He said Rampula and his former deputy Libor Grygarek, whom Pospisil also sacked, are linked to the pre-1989 era and the controversial Prague entrepreneurs known as Godfathers.

The Godfather-like style is also what connects the Rampula case and the junior government Public Affairs (VV), Dienstbier said.

He said it is a public secret that the VV arose from the Godfather-style environment. The party is said to be a business project of Prague Godfathers. VV chairman Radek John previously did his utmost to keep Rampula at the helm of the High State Attorney's Office (VSZ), Dienstbier pointed out.

Another important circumstance are the good relations between VV deputies' group chairman Vit Barta and President Vaclav Klaus, and also the corruption charges brought against Barta that are to be handled by the Prague City Court, Diensbtier said.

He pointed to the "evident" connection between Rampula's reinstatement by the City Court and the unofficial information that Klaus wants to propose City Court chairman Jan Svacek to the Senate as a candidate for a Constitutional Court (US) judge for a second time.

The Senate has recently rejected Svacek.

The goal is to fill the post of City Court chairperson with someone who is close to Klaus and possibly also to other people, Dienstbier said.

All this is connected with the emerging information about the planned dismissal of Pospisil and Klaus's reluctance to sign the new Civil Code, Pospisil's crucial project.

This can be understood as part of an attack on Pospisil, who sacked Rampula and who could further strive for his sacking, Dienstbier said.

He said he is also afraid that the disciplinary actions Pospisil had lodged against Rampula, Grygarek and other attorneys over the sluggish handling of the MUS company's privatisation case may be withdrawn.

Moreover, Pospisil's ministerial seat would be vacated for Karolina Peake, VV deputy chairwoman and deputy PM, Dienstbier said.

All this information indicates that there is a well-thought-out plan. "If Rampula and Grygarek remain at the VSZ, no one can believe that big criminal cases will be investigated in a way leading to the uncovering of those responsible," Dienstbier said.

He alluded to the Rampula-led VSZ's reputation as an institution that swept big corruption cases linked to politicians under the carpet.