No expert assessment was needed for CASA purchase, Legislative Council confirms

Prague, June 26 (CTK) - The Czech Government's Legislative Council yesterday upheld the Finance Ministry's view that former defence minister Vlasta Parkanova (TOP 09) did not need an expert opinion on the CASA planes' market price before nodding to their purchase for the Czech military in 2009.

An analysis in this respect has been worked out for the Government Legislative Council head Karolina Peake (LIDEM) by her deputy Petr Mlsna.

Earlier this month the police asked the Chamber of Deputies to release Parkanova for prosecution on suspicion of breaching the law and causing a 658 million-crown loss to the state by not having the expert opinion worked out.

Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek (TOP 09 deputy chairman) has fiercely defended Parkanova, saying that the valid law and long-lasting practice did not bind Parkanova to seek an expert opinion.

On Monday, Kalousek's stand was supported by the Institute of State and Law, and yesterday also by the Government Legislative Council.

Constitutional lawyer Jan Kysela said he does not challenge these arguments, which, however, should be discussed by law enforcement bodies and possibly by court rather than by parliament.

The mandate and immunity committee of the Chamber of Deputies, lower house of parliament, will discuss the police request for the release of Parkanova on Wednesday. The lower house is to make a definitive decision at its session in July.

In his analysis for the government council, Mlsna says the CASA order's initiator was not obliged to have an expert opinion worked out because the deal, a military equipment purchase, was not a standard public order to which this duty applies.

Kalousek and some observers, too, say no expert opinion is required in the case of special military acquisitions.

($1=20.669 crowns)