Corruption whistle-blower Michálek running for Senate

Prague, July 31 (CTK) - Libor Michalek, former head of the State Environmental Fund (SFZP) who has made his mark by his fight against corruption, will run in the autumn elections to the Czech Senate, the three parties that have nominated him said Tuesday.

Michalek was proposed by the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), the Greens and the Czech Pirate Party (CPS), all of them have no representation in the Chamber of Deputies.

Michalek pointed to corruption at the Environment Ministry when it was headed by Pavel Drobil (Civic Democratic Party, ODS) in 2010. Drobil sacked him over having published some recordings of alleged corruption, but the scandal eventually brought about Drobil's downfall at the end of 2010.

Matej Stropnicky (Greens) told journalists that Michalek's profile reflected the Prague electorate.

"He is an anti-government, but also liberal candidate," Stropnicky said.

Michalek has vowed to fight corruption if elected.

He also promised support to direct democracy through easier rules for referendums and through better conditions for small parties in elections.

One-third of seats of the 81-member Senate, the upper house of Czech parliament, will be contested in the autumn elections.