Prague, June 8 (CTK) – The Czech police will be able to accuse lawmakers Josef Novotny (for Social Democrats, CSSD) and Jaroslav Borka (Communists, KSCM) in the case of machinations with EU subsidies from the Regional Operational Programme (ROP) Northwest, the Chamber of Deputies decided today.
The lower house of parliament released them for prosecution in line with the stances of the mandate and immunity committee.
Borka and Novotny are suspected of harming the EU’s financial interests and bargaining an advantage in a public tender. One of them is also suspected of abuse of power and participation in an organised criminal group.
The mandate and immunity committee took a vote on the recommendation to the Chamber of Deputies on the two MPs separately, the committee’s chairwoman Miroslava Nemcova (Civic Democrats, ODS) said.
The plenary session followed the pattern today. Sixty-eight out of 85 deputies present supported the release of Novotny and seven were against it. The figures for Borka were 69 for, six against.
Novotny said previously the case was fabricated and expedient.
The ROP Northwest deals with European subsidies in the Usti and Karlovy Vary regions.
Twenty-four people, including regional politicians, senior officials and businesspeople, are accused in this case.
Several people were convicted of manipulating the distribution of EU subsidies in the ROP in the past years.
During this election term, the Chamber of Deputies has decided on five MPs whose release for prosecution the police sought. It rejected the police request in one case only.
($1=23.459 crowns)
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