Blesk: Book by jailed MP Rath to hit market in Oct

Prague, Sept 26 (CTK) - A book that David Rath, a Czech deputy and former regional governor prosecuted for corruption, has written in the custody prison, will appear on the market on October 9, published by former prime minister Jiri Paroubek's wife, the tabloid Blesk writes Wednesday.

Petra Paroubkova will issue the book, named Prisednete si (Take a Seat Next To Me...). The manuscript's editor has been Rath's former spokeswoman Berill Mashekova.

"We want to issue 5000 to 10,000 copies of the book," Paroubkova told the paper.

She said she has never visited Rath in the custody prison in Litomerice, north Bohemia. They only discussed the book's text in letters, she said.

The police arrested Rath in mid-May on suspicion of accepting a bribe in connection with a manipulated public order for the reconstruction of a central Bohemian chateau. Rath then left the senior opposition Social Democratic Party (CSSD) and resigned as governor of Central Bohemia. He keeps his mandate of a deputy.

The Chamber of Deputies then released Rath for criminal prosecution. Earlier this month, it released him for prosecution again in connection with further controversial cases involving Rath. He is suspected of taking bribes for unlawfully influencing tenders for the purchase of equipment for three central Bohemian hospitals.

Paroubek was CSSD chairman in 2005-2010 and Czech prime minister in 2005-2006. He stepped down as CSSD head after the party failed to form a cabinet in spite of its narrow victory in the mid-2010 general election. He left the CSSD a year later to find a party of his own.