Prague, March 20 (CTK) – Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) will not have to explain disciplinary proceedings against Michal Murin, head of the General Inspection of Security Corps (GIBS), over a misdemeanour in the Chamber of Deputies, because ANO deputies vetoed the proposal on Tuesday.
This is why the opposition TOP 09 has started collecting signatures for calling an extraordinary session of the Chamber of Deputies to deal with the affair.
Miroslav Kalousek, head of the TOP 09 deputy group, has tweeted that there will be enough signatures because the session will also be backed by the Social Democrats (CSSD), the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), the Mayors and Independents (STAN) and the Pirates.
“Many of us have the serious suspicion that this is an effort to influence politically an independent institution,” Kalousek said.
There is the fear that the state security forces may be influenced through the inspection, he added.
The veto, which prevented the affair from being placed on the agenda of the session, was signed by 42 ANO deputies, the chairman of the ANO deputy group, Jaroslav Faltynek said.
The signatures by 20 deputies are enough for the veto.
The extraordinary session must be backed by at least 40 deputies.
Babis wants Murin to step down. Murin has refused to do so and Babis started to criticise him in public. He said he does not trust Murin and challenged the GIBS’s financial management.
Last week, Babis cited state attorneys’ documents critical of Murin.
Under the civil service law, a member of a state security body can be taken off duty if there is a suspicion of crime, a misdemeanour or similar behaviour.
