Deputy local development minister released from custody

The former deputy local development minister, Vera Jourova, has been released from custody. Ms Jourova has been charged with corruption in connection with a case of three former officials accused of having siphoned off tens of millions of Czech crowns of EU and state funds. The senior aide to two former Social Democrat prime ministers, Zdenek Dolezel, mayor of the town of Budisov Ladislav Peta, and Miloslav Rehulka, an Agriculture Ministry employee, remain in custody.