Former health minister acquitted of charges

A district court in Prague has acquitted former Health Minister Marie Souckova of charges in the Diag Human case. Ms Souckova was charged with breach of trust and abuse of power for signing a contract between the ministry and lawyer Zdenek Novacek under which the ministry was to pay him up to 170 million crowns for his services if it won a legal case against the blood plasma trading company Diag Human. Ms Souckova faced between three and ten years in prison and a fine of 10 million crowns.