Senate deeply divided over Klaus's treason allegations

Prague, Feb 28 (CTK) - Czech senators' groups except for the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) are divided over the support to the constitutional complaint against President Vaclav Klaus on suspicion of high treason over his New Year amnesty, CTK found out yesterday.

Both critics and some proponents of the proposal are of the view that the upper house will not back the complaint on Monday, although the Senate organisational committee has recommended its approval.

If the plenum of the Senate does not back it, the complaint will not be sent to the Constitutional Court (US). So far, it has been signed by 28 out of the 81 members of the upper house.

The senators want to sue Klaus mainly over his New Year amnesty but also over his delay of the signature under the Lisbon Treaty, the addendum to the European Social Charter and over other issues.

Klaus's amnesty applies to convicts with low suspended or prison sentences and elderly convicts and it also halts criminal proceedings if they lasted for more than eight years, and if the maximum prison sentence that can be imposed in such cases does not exceed ten years.

This provision was sharply criticised since it applies to some serious corruption and financial crime cases.

The Senate's debate on the complaint will be closed.

It is clearly opposed by the whole ODS senators' group. Its chairman Jaroslav Kubera said the backing "was out of the question."

When it comes to other senators' groups, created by the Social Democrats (CSSD), Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) and independents, the Mayors and Ostravak group as well as the Citizens' Rights Party (SPOZ) party, Communists (KSCM) and the North Bohemians, some of their members have signed the petition, others not.

"As all the groups but that for the ODS are divided, it cannot be ruled out that the Senate will not approve the proposal," senator Jaromir Stetina has told CTK.