Deadline into investigation of 'Koristka affair' bribery case extended by one month

A district state attorney in the town of Ostrava has extended by one month the deadline for a police investigation into an alleged attempt last year to bribe the government coalition MP Zdenek Koristka. The district attorney, Josef Blaha, said he wanted more time to look into certain aspects of the case, but said there was not enough evidence for re-opening criminal proceedings. The two former suspects in the case have close ties to Civic Democratic leader Mirek Topolanek. The two men were alleged by Mr Koristka to have offered him a large sum of money -- and a diplomatic posting to Bulgaria -- to vote against the government in a confidence vote held last year.