All charges against Jiri Cunek dropped

The case of Jiri Cunek has come to an end, the daily Lidove Noviny's website reported on Monday. State prosecutor Arif Salichov, responsible for the case, dropped all charges against Jiri Cunek, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Regional Development and the chairman of Social Democrats, one of the three parties in the government. According to Deputy Head State Prosecutor in Olomouc Igor Striz, whose office was supervising the case, no criminal offence was committed.

Jiri Cunek was being investigated for taking bribes during his term as the mayor of Vsetin, North Moravia. The case, which took almost eight months to resolve, caused a lot of tension in the government. Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, of Civic Democrats, was under pressure from the opposition to dismiss Cunek from his government.