Jailed lawmakers may not receive salaries

Prague, Jan 23 (CTK) - The government Wednesday agreed with a proposal drafted by the Chamber of Deputies that lawmakers in jail should stop receiving salaries and various perquisites, Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democratic Party, ODS) has told journalists.

The amendment to the law on the salaries of senior elected and judicial officials was drafted by ODS deputies.

The drafters argue that the imprisoned lawmakers cannot regularly execute their mandate.

The same argument is valid if the lawmakers were subjected to protective treatment or detained.

The time they would spend in the relevant facilities would not be added to the calculation of their severance pay.

The opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) said the Constitutional Court was almost certain not to allow the law to take effect for this term of parliament.

The ODS disagrees with the argument and its deputies said the question of salaries is not any constitutional affair or protection of the lawmakers' mandate.

Necas said he hoped the bill would gain a general consensus in the Chamber of Deputies.

At present, the legislation may relate to ODS deputy Roman Pekarek who was convicted of bribery before he became an ODS deputy last autumn and the verdict was confirmed in mid-December.

Pekarek replaced an ODS member who resigned from the lower house. Despite repeated calls by the party, Pekarek has refused to step down, pleading not-guilty.

Besides, former central Bohemia regional governor David Rath, elected for Social Democrats, is now in custody over bribery charges.

Courts are still dealing with the cases of another four deputies facing various charges.