Former IT Minister Vladimir Mlynar cleared of criminal charges

A court in Prague has cleared former IT minister Vladimir Mlynar of charges of misusing information and abuse of office. Vladimir Mlynar was the Czech IT minister between 2003 and 2005. In October 2003, the IT Ministry spent 3.5 million crowns (or almost 200,000 US dollars) on founding a company that would run a website with information on the Czech Republic. After the Finance Ministry warned Mr Mlynar in February 2004 that such a procedure is not legal, he withdrew the contract but was still charged with mishandling the ministry’s funds. Mr Mlynar was then prosecuted and sentenced to 5.5 years in jail by a first-instance court earlier this year.