Prague, Aug 27 (CTK) – The police organised crime squad (UOOZ) launched Thursday the pre-trial proceedings in the case of the Ceska posta (CP) Czech state postal service provider, attorney Zdenek Matula has said on the Prague High State attorney’s Office website.
The men are suspected of indirect bribery, he added.
The suspects are most probably businessman Lukas Cadek and Social Democrat (CSSD) Kamil Choc, according to further information.
Choc is suspected of having demanded a bribe of three million crowns from Cadek, who sued the CP for more than 20 million crowns, for settling down his dispute with the CP.
The money was reportedly to go to the CSSD coffers and Interior Minister Milan Chovanec (CSSD), under whom the CP falls. Both of them have dismissed the allegations.
In the indirect bribery case, a person giving a bribe faces up to two years in prison and he who asks for or takes a bribe faces up to three years.
The case is being dealt with in shortened pre-trial proceedings, which means that the suspects have not been charged and the police expect them to be brought to court within two weeks.
During this time, the state attorney can reach an agreement about their guilt and punishment with the suspects, propose their sentence to the court or shelve the case.
The case is allegedly connected with a tender for security services for the CP.
The dispute between Cadek and the CP concerns an order that his firm provided for the post in 2010. However, the deal was suspended and Cadek went bankrupt.
Several legal complaints have been filed in the case.
Cadek, in cooperation with the Anti-Corruption Endowment, has filed a complaint on suspicion of bribery, other complaints have been filed directly against the CP and its employees, including its general director Martin Elkan.
The CP and Chovanec gave also filed a legal complaint in the case.
