Supreme State Attorney Renata Vesecka, her deputy Pavel Kucera, former justice minister Pavel Nemec and a few others made a big mistake when they sued shadow justice minister Marie Benesova (senior opposition Social Democrats, CSSD) for labelling them a judiciary "backstage mafia" for their alleged actions in Cunek's case, Pavel Verner writes in Pravo. The Czech Christian Democrat leader to return to cabinet ...
Czechs critical of work of their MEPs-poll ... group should have left Benesova's statements without a response because the trial shows that some attorneys and judges really form an alliance with government politicians, Verner says, referring to Andelova's statements. Andelova said Kucera exerted pressure on her to make her protract the handling of Cunek's case at meetings to which Vesecka and Nemec were present, too. Kucera allegedly told Andelova that "the independence of judiciary must give in to political interests." Vesecka, Nemec and Kucera abused their power when they helped Cunek avoid a trial in order to prevent the possible fall of the government of Mirek Topolanek (Civic Democrats, ODS), Verner says. He says the trial would result either in Cunek's proving his innocence or in his punishment. Cunek was accused of accepting a 500,000-crown bribe in 2002 when he was the mayor of Vsetin, north Moravia. Even if Cunek as well as Vesecka, Kucera, Nemec are finally punished, it is Topolanek's government that is also involved in the dirty manouevring behind the scenes, Verner writes. It has again been proven how big a mistake it was that Cunek's case did not end in court, Tomas Nemecek writes in Hospodarske noviny (HN). The court dispute related to Cunek's case is highly important even though it was launched because of a complaint filed over a rash statement. It is good that instead of a regular court proceeding at least a substitute one is held, Nemecek says. It is not that one can be sure of Cunek's guilt, but that Cunek, if innocent, would be cleared of the corruption suspicions publicly. The trial has not yet ended, but is it already clear that Kucera failed as one of the top representatives of the Czech judiciary. He should resign on his post immediately, Nemecek concludes. Prague judge Vojtech Cepl Jr.
issues extraordinary verdicts because he uses his own brain, Jaroslav Plesl writes in Lidove noviny. It is good that Cepl deals with the corruption case of Jiri Cunek, though not directly but because a complaint against Benesova. Cepl's verdict will be important. He will describe how Czech politicians made the judiciary their whore, Nemecek writes. ($1=16.267 crowns)
(Ceske Noviny)
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