Supreme attorney insists on Bradáčová's to head Prague's high state attorney's office

Prague, July 9 (CTK) - Czech Supreme State Attorney Pavel Zeman still insists on his proposal that Lenka Bradacova be appointed the Prague High State Attorney's Office head, the Justice Ministry's press section said after Zeman's meeting with new Justice Minister Pavel Blazek yesterday.

Blazek (senior ruling Civic Democrats, ODS) and Zeman yesterday also agreed that they would work on the new bill on state attorney's offices, the ministry's press service told CTK.

The bill is yet to be discussed constructively, it added.

Zeman told Blazek he had not changed his opinion about Bradacova's appointment.

Bradacova is widely praised for her anti-corruption fight. Her office remanded former Social Democrats (CSSD) regional governor David Rath in custody on suspicion of bribery in May.

Zeman proposed her appointment in June. The then justice minister Jiri Pospisil, ODS deputy chairman, was prepared to appoint her the Prague high state attorney.

But before he managed to do so, President Vaclav Klaus dismissed him on the proposal of Prime Minister Petr Necas (ODS). Necas cited Pospisil's failure to manage the ministry among the reasons.

Speculations emerged saying Pospisil had to go because he planned to fill the post of Prague high state attorney with Bradacova. Necas rejected the speculations.

Another ODS deputy chairman, Blazek, replaced Pospisil at the ministry's helm.

Blazek, a lawyer by profession, never commented on the Justice Ministry's affairs in the past.

On Sunday, Blazek said he would like to debate Bradacova's appointment with four former supreme state attorneys - Renata Vesecka, Marie Benesova, Vit Vesely and Bohumira Kopecna. He added that he would like to talk about the planned bill on state attorneys' offices with them.

When he assumed office, Blazek said he did not like that state attorneys had prepared the draft legislation on their offices and that he did not agree with strengthening powers of the Supreme State Attorney's Office. Attorneys' powers must be balanced with control mechanisms, Blazek said.