Prague, Dec 8 (CTK) – The U.S., British and Canadian embassies in Prague on Thursday supported the fight against corruption in the Czech Republic and they appreciated that the country improved its position in the ranking of the Transparency International (TI) anti-corruption organisation.
The three ambassadors, Andrew Schapiro (USA), Jan Thompson (UK) and Barbara Richardson (Canada), congratulated the Czech Republic on moving from the 53rd to the 37th position in TI’s corruption perceptions index this year.
The ambassadors said they supported the Czech government in its effort to curb corruption and meet its anti-corruption programme and that their governments would keep cooperating with the Czech Republic in the effort to achieve good governance and transparency.
The embassies declared their support for anti-corruption struggle already in 2014 and 2015.
Last year, they waged an anti-corruption campaign lasting several weeks, in which Norwegian and South Korean embassies also participated. Some politicians praised their campaign, while others challenged it.
Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) and Deputy Prime Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) appreciated the anti-corruption campaign, while Deputy Prime Minister Pavel Belobradek (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL), President Milos Zeman and the right-wing opposition Civic Democrats (ODS) were critical of it.
Lower house chairman Jan Hamacek (CSSD) said such a campaign did not seem to be a task for foreign diplomatic offices.
Some foreign ambassadors challenged the participation of Otto Jelinek, who left the post of Canada’s ambassador this autumn, in the campaign. Jelinek was connected with suspected corruption related to a Czech lease contract for Gripen fighter aircraft. The Danish and Japanese ambassadors did not join the anti-corruption campaign due to it in 2014.
