Upper house rejects anti-corruption proposal

The Czech upper house has voted down a proposed anti-corruption package which would have introduced the concept of a crown witness and agent provocateur. The proposal drawn up by the outgoing Social Democrat minister of the interior, Martin Pecina, was voted against by 43 senators with 25 in favour. Many also spoke against the idea of increased police use of phone tapping and tax returns to counter corruption. The proposal will now automatically fall with a new lower house having been sworn in following elections.