Lower house passes bill on public tenders

The lower house has passed a bill on public tenders aimed at curbing corruption and increasing transparency. Under the legislation it would no longer be possible to "direct" a public tender towards one company. The bill's authors also hope that announcing tenders on the internet will lead to a decrease in corruption levels.

Deputies have also voted to strip Civic Democrat Vladimir Dolezal of his immunity. Police accuse Mr Dolezal of acting as a go-between in a bribery affair involving a Prague councillor who is also a member of the Civic Democrats.