Finance ministry ordered to pay European Democrats, Independents, compensation

A Prague court has ruled that the finance ministry must pay 800,000 crowns in compensation to the Independents and European Democrats for subsidies the ministry failed to pay out after the European Democrats earned mandates in local elections in 2002. Following the parties’ success in the elections they were entitled to an annual state subsidy of 250,000 crowns for each mandate gained. But Bohuslav Sobotka, then finance minister, and his successor Vlastimil Tlustý, both maintained that the subsidies could onlz go to a party or a coalition of parties, not an association comprising a political party and independent candidates. The defence lawyer for the European Democrats and Independents has maintained on the basis of the law the compensation could come directly from the former ministers’ pockets.