Kalousek steps down from parliamentary committee

The head of the government Christian Democrats Miroslav Kalousek has stepped down as the head of parliament's budget committee due to a political row over his wife's finances. Mr Kalousek told a news conference that his wife, accused of failing to pay proper taxes in a family real estate deal, had done nothing illegal but that it was his responsibility to hold himself at least partially accountable as a public official. The Christian Democrats have been pressuring Prime Minister Stanislav Gross to step down amid a row over his personal finances that threatened to tear apart the coalition government. The step by Mr Kalousek is likely to increase the pressure on Mr Gross ahead of a congress of his Social Democrats at the end of the month.