Jiri Paroubek supports transparency in police wiretapping

Speaking on Sunday's TV program Nedelni partie, Social Democratic leader and former prime minister Jiri Paroubek said that he would support changing the rules so that a person could learn whether his/her phone conversations are being wiretapped by police. Mr. Paroubek cited the access to information laws of Germany, France, or the United Kingdom as those that the Czech Republic could adopt.

Mr. Paroubek also said that he is pleased that members of the Civic Democratic Party have not been able to provide proof that the former Social Democratic government misused police wiretappings. Mr. Paroubek was referring specifically to Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, Interior Minister Ivan Langer, and Deputy Prime Minister Petr Necas who suggested that Mr. Paroubek's government requested wiretaps on a number of politicians and journalists. Last week, Supreme Court judge Renata Vesecka said that there had been no politically-motivated request for wiretaps.