Two men accused of bribery in the 'Koristka affair'--but not convicted--demand compensation from the state

The Justice Ministry has said that it will not consider a demand for compensation by two men prosecuted but not convicted for allegedly bribing a member of parliament last year. The two men--one an assistant to Civic Democrat leader Mirek Topolanek, and the other a lobbyist with close ties to the centre-right party--were released due to a lack of evidence. The state's case against the two men, Marek Dalik and Jan Vecerek, has been suspended but left open in case new witnesses step forward. In addition to seeking compensation, they want the case permanently closed. The Freedom Union MP who made the accusation, Zdenek Koristka, has maintained that Dalik and Vecerek, acting on behalf of the Civic Democrat leader, last year offered him several hundred thousand euros and a diplomatic posting in Bulgaria to vote against the government in a confidence motion.