Former ODS senator convicted of corruption leaves party

Prague/Usti nad Labem, North Bohemia, July 17 (CTK) - Alexandr Novak, former Czech Civic Democrat (ODS) senator and former mayor of Chomutov, north Bohemia, who was sentenced to four years in prison for corruption, has left the senior government ODS, the Usti ODS branch's head Jan Kubata told CTK yesterday.

ODS chairman and Prime Minister Petr Necas called on Novak to end his party membership this morning.

"The valid conviction of bribery is inconsistent with ODS membership. I am convinced that as this is clear for all ODS members, it is also clear for Novak and that he will behave accordingly in the ODS's interest and no steps will have to be taken," Necas said.

The fact that Novak plans to defend himself against the verdict plays no role in it, Necas added.

The regional court in Usti nad Labem, north Bohemia, sent Novak to prison for having taken a bribe of over 40 million crowns. It tightened the previous two-year suspended sentence given by the district court in "Novak's" Chomutov.

The new verdict cannot be appealed. Novak's defense counsel will probably file a constitutional complaint against it.

The regional court also upheld the five-million-crown fine and a five-year ban on his public activities imposed on Novak previously.

The case in which Novak received a bribe of over 40 million crowns dates back to 1999.

At that time, the Chomutov Town Hall sold the shares of Severoceska energetika and Severoceska plynarenska energy and gas companies to the German firm VNG Leipzig for over 317 million crowns.

For the mediation of the deal, VNG Leipzig sent 2.27 million German marks to a certain Peter Schmel. According to the indictment, the money did not end up with him, but in Novaks' private account through a Cypriot firm.

Novak said the money had been sent to his wife as a loan for her businesses in Austria from the Cypriot firm Interkontraktor. However, the court did not believe his explanation.

The regional court on Monday also annulled a two-year suspended sentence and a one-million-crown fine imposed on Schmel as fugitive by the district court since the businessman was declared dead in the meantime.

($1=20.848 crowns)