Opposition party representatives file complaint against PM, others, in Unipetrol scandal

The chairman of the right-of-centre Civic Democrats' deputy group, Vlastimil Tlusty, has revealed that he and several other members of his party have filed a criminal complaint against Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek and two members of the cabinet, as well as a former aide, in connection with the privatisation of the Czech oil concern Unipetrol. According to the MPs the prime minister played a role in the privatisation at a time when he was still at City Hall. The prime minister has dismissed the move as "desperate".

Last year the Polish PKN Orlen bought 63 percent shares in the Czech oil giant - a deal which has since been dogged by allegations of corruption. On Friday Polish prosecutors investigating the purchase asked for permission to question over a dozen individuals in the Czech Republic including former prime minister Stanislav Gross. The new management of PKN Orlen has also said it has uncovered new evidence of secret payoffs to Czech politicians.