Deputy labour minister accused of bribery

Prague, Oct 1 (CTK) - The anti-corruption police have accused Czech deputy labour and social affairs minister Vladimir Siska and ministry IT section head Milan Hojer of bribery linked to public procurement, anti-corruption police spokesman Jaroslav Ibehej told the media yesterday.

Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democrats, ODS) considers the accusation very serious and wants to talk to Labour and Social Affairs Minister Jaromir Drabek (TOP 09) later yesterday, Necas's spokesman told CTK.

If found guilty, the two suspects face up to six years in prison.

"We detained two high-ranking persons from the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry yesterday. Subsequently, we accused them of bribery," Ibehej told CTK without elaborating.

Commenting on the case on the police web, Ibehej said the accusation is not related to the ministry's order for a new system of welfare benefits distribution, that came under criticism earlier this year.

Labour and Social Affairs Ministry spokeswoman Viktorie Plivova said the police took Siska and Hojer away from the ministry this morning.

"The police did not tell us any details in reaction to a direct question," Labour and Social Affairs Minister Jaromir Drabek (TOP 09) told CTK.

He considers it strange, he added.

His office head informed him about the presence of plain-clothed policemen on the ministry premises, Drabek said.

"Yet I can now read in the press that journalists are informed about the case and they have very concrete data available. Such a police procedure is scandalous ten days ahead of the Senate and regional elections," Drabek said in his press release.

The opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) and even some in TOP 09 have called on Drabek to resign over the case.

Earlier this year, the police started to investigate a criminal complaint by the Anti-Corruption Fund that suspects Siska, but also Drabek and possibly also other unknown offenders of breach of trust, insider trading and bribe taking in connection with the introduction of a new IT system for welfare benefits distribution.