Deputy PM Jiri Cunek resigns

Jiri Cunek has announced that he is stepping down as deputy prime minister and minister for regional development. At a news conference on Thursday morning, the Christian Democrats' leader said he will quit the posts next Wednesday. Mr Cunek said he was resigning because of the reopening of an investigation into whether he had accepted bribes while he was mayor of Vsetin in 2002. He said he wanted there to be an independent enquiry into the allegations.

On Monday, Czech Television broadcast a report claiming that during the 1990s, Mr Cunek collected social welfare benefits while depositing millions of crowns into different bank accounts. Following the broadcast, Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek called on him to refute the allegations quickly and clearly or resign.