Prague, June 23 (CTK) – The Czech lower house security committee did not approve the agenda of its meeting yesterday that was to debate a planned police reform, and therefore police anti-mafia unit’s officers, Robert Slachta and Jiri Komarek, and state attorney Ivo Istvan could not talk to the MPs.
Nor did the committee agree with the meeting discussing the establishment of a parliamentary commission to enquire into alleged suspicions related to the police.
The meeting was convoked by the committee deputy chairman Bronislav Schwarz (government ANO) a few days ago at the request of Slachta, the anti-mafia unit’s (UOOZ) outgoing head, and Komarek, the head of a UOOZ regional branch, who wanted to inform the lawmakers about the police chiefs’ suspected links with the criminal scene and about controversial circumstances of the planned police shake-up.
On Monday, Komarek told the media that he had registered attempts by the police inspection body (GIBS) to gain access to the UOOZ’s criminal files. He also accused Police President Tomas Tuhy of a serious leak of information.
ANO, the movement of Finance Minister Andrej Babis, is opposed to the police reform prepared by Tuhy, promoted by Interior Minister Milan Chovanec (Social Democrats, CSSD) and backed by the CSSD of Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka.
ANO calls it overhasty, aimed to eliminate Slachta and his UOOZ and thus thwart the fight against corruption and organised crime.
Earlier this week, Schwarz used the absence of the security committee chairman Roman Vana (CSSD), who was on a business trip abroad, and convoked the meeting for yesterday, to the annoyance of Vana and the CSSD.
Slachta, Komarek and Istvan, the Olomouc High State Attorney, were invited to the meeting.
Vana said ANO escalated tension in the government coalition by convoking the committee meeting. He said beforehand that the CSSD might vote against the meeting’s proposed agenda on Thursday.
Christian Democrat (KDU-CSL) deputy chairman Marian Jurecka, who attended the meeting as a guest, confirmed after the vote yesterday that the agenda failed to make it through due to the CSSD lawmakers. He expressed disappointment at the developments.
The CSSD’s step was also criticised by the other government partner, ANO.
Justice Minister Robert Pelikan (ANO) said the outcome is a shame of those who “prevented people from addressing the meeting,” mainly of the CSSD.
Vana said the committee’s meeting was unusual since its very convocation. The committee will not discuss the police affair any more, as it is not authorised to do so, he said.
“The CSSD insists on its proposal that a commission be formed to enquire into the issue. We will propose this to the Chamber of Deputies plenary session on Tuesday,” Vana added.
In a hint at ANO, CSSD deputy Richard Dolejs protested against police being involved in political games.
Later yesterday, Babis and Chovanec had a verbal exchange over the meeting’s result on Twitter.
Babis labelled the situation a farce, in which “the CSSD allied with the [arch-rival rightist] ODS, TOP 09 and one communist deputy, and they together prevented the hearing of the police officers.”
“A well staged and well played spectacle…What is the CSSD afraid of?” Babis wrote.
“Yes, a farce, under the tragic direction of an ANO deputy (Schwarz) played behind the back of Vana, the committee chairman,” Chovanec wrote in reaction to Babis.
Defending himself, Schwarz said he wanted to enable the hearing of Slachta and Komarek after he read their statements about their suspicions in the media.
Slachta, too, said the result of the talks is a great experience and big disappointment for him.
If a parliamentary commission of investigation is established, he is ready to help it. He is ready to convey to the commission the information, which he and Komarek wanted to give to the deputies yesterday.
In the vote on the meeting’s agenda, it was supported by seven of the committee’s 15 members, three voted against, four abstained from the vote and one member did not vote.
Before the vote, the proposed agenda was extended also to include a debate on the establishment of a lower house commission to enquire into the activities of the Police Presidium, the UOOZ and the Olomouc High State Attorney’s Office in connection with the police shake-up.
The extension was proposed by Ivan Gabal (junior government Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL).
After the vote, Gabal said the CSSD is forcibly pushing through a bad plan of a police reform, which has triggered the conflict between experts and politicians.
“Paradoxically, we will give the green light to the continuation of this disorganisation and subsequently we will investigate it by means of a special commission. This scenario is worse than stupid, it is a mistake,” Gabal said.
Before the vote on the agenda, the 1.5-hour debate mainly consisted of mutual verbal attacks between the promoters of the agenda, mainly ANO lawmakers, and its opponents from the ranks of the CSSD and the rightist opposition TOP 09 and Civic Democrats (ODS).
Slachta said he would not withdraw his plan to leave the police in protest against the police reform.
“There is no reason for me to withdraw it. I am leaving the police only due to the forthcoming shake-up,” he said.
