PM rejects accusations of abuse of power

Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek has rejected accusations that he was abusing his position by ordering government planes for his private trips. The last in a series of such accusations concerned the fact that the prime minister used a government plane to fly to Vienna for the final match of the Euro 2008 championship. Mr. Topolánek said that as prime minister he was entitled to use government planes at any time and accused the media of harassment. He said the visit to Vienna was approved by the Cabinet, otherwise he would have flown charter and paid for the trip out of his own wallet. Mr. Topolánek said he used barely a third of the perks to which he was entitled as prime minister.