Prague, June 6 (CTK) – Czech Supreme State Attorney Pavel Zeman has criticised a possible merger of the police organised crime (UOOZ) and anti-corruption (UOKFK) squads in a letter addressed to the prime minister and other members of the cabinet, server Lidovky.cz writes yesterday.
The merger could thwart the investigation of serious criminal cases, Zeman wrote in the letter.
The police have not confirmed that the merger is being planned.
According to Lidovky cz, the Police Presidium plans a merger of the UOOZ with the UOKFK as of July 1.
Zeman wrote that he does not know details about the reorganisation in question.
He wrote so big a unit would be hard to manage, which would result in the departures of experienced detectives from it.
“The merger of the two squads will cause a decline in the quality of work, delays and fragmentation of responsibility, and it may thwart the investigation of certain complex cases,” Zeman wrote to PM Bohuslav Sobotka, Interior Minister Milan Chovanec (both Social Democrats, CSSD), Justice Minister Robret Pelikan (ANO) and Police President Tomas Tuhy.
He wrote that he has learnt about the plan from Deputy Police President Zdenek Laube and subsequently also from Tuhy.
Asked about the planned merger, Laube previously told daily Lidove noviny (LN) that he would “not comment on anything that is yet to be approved and duly discussed.”
Laube is the officer is charge of preparing the plan, LN wrote last week.
It wrote that the merger would unseat Robert Slachta as the UOOZ head.
rtj/dr
