Former Civic Democrat MPs not to face trial for bribe-taking

Three former Civic Democrat MPs accused of taking bribes are set to be released and will not face trial. The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Petr Tluchoř and Marek Šnajdr were covered by parliamentary immunity at the time the alleged offence took place. The verdict also relates to the third former deputy, Ivan Fuksa, who did not petition the court. The decision of the court, which only examined the issue of the MPs’ parliamentary immunity, cannot be appealed. When the three, who were opposed to a government tax bill, quit the lower house last year, the move prevented the fall of Petr Nečas’s cabinet. Soon afterwards they received lucrative positions at semi-state agencies. While the state attorney’s office said that amounted to bribery, Mr. Nečas suggested “I scratch your back, you scratch mine” deals were a regular part of politics.

The ex-deputies were taken into custody a month ago as part of an extensive police operation that also saw the charging of Jana Nagyová, chief aide to then prime minister Nečas, with mediating the alleged bribery and other offences, a situation that led to the fall of his government. The police questioned Mr. Nečas in connection with the matter at the end of last week.