Lower house passes bill stripping jailed MPs of salaries

The lower house of the Czech Parliament on Friday approved legislation that will strip jailed MPs of their salaries and other benefits. The bill, put forth by the coalition Civic Democrats, won the support of 119 MPs in the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies. The legislation comes at a time when two MPs – former Social Democrat David Rath and an ex-Civic Democrat Roman Pekárek are in prison, the former awaiting trial for corruption, the latter serving a five-year sentence for similar charges. The bill will now be debated in the Senate. Lawmakers are also discussing a bill that would strip convicted MPs of their seats in the lower house.