Czech senate strips Christian Democrat leader Jiri Cunek of parliamentary immunity

The Czech senate has stripped Christian Democrat leader and Deputy Prime Minister Jiri Cunek of his parliamentary immunity so that he can face criminal prosecution on corruption charges. Police suspect Mr Cunek of taking a bribe of half-a-million crowns from a real estate company five years ago when he was mayor of the east Moravian town of Vsetin. Mr Cunek denies the charges, but has so far issued conflicting statements regarding the origin of the money.