Corruption watchdog sounds warning over metro joint venture

Corruption watchdog Transparency International has sounded the alarm over what it describes as undue haste by Prague City Council’s municipal transport company to push through a joint venture deal with development company Penta for part of a new metro line in the capital.

A final decision to clear the joint venture for developing stations and surroundings on the new D line should be cleared by the transport company board on Wednesday.

Transparency says many key questions about the venture and its ramifications have not been answered. Taking a few more months to iron out issues in a project likely to last 15-20 years and valued around 60 billion crowns would not cost anything, Transparency says.