Czech police handle 12 complaints about Cunek's Romany policy

The police in Vsetin continue investigating 12 criminal complaints lodged against Deputy PM Jiri Cunek mainly over his resettlement of local Romanies when the mayor of Vsetin, police spokeswoman Lenka Javorkova told CTK today.

In addition, Cunek (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) has faced corruption accusation since February. He is suspected of accepting a half-a million-crown bribe in 2002.

The police received 13 criminal complaints against Cunek last year, but they have already shelved one concerning the alleged abuse of power.

In the remaining 12 complaints people accuse Cunek of slander, extortion, oppression, abuse of power and other crimes.

Most complaints were lodged by Vsetin Romanies whom the Cunek-led Vsetin hall last autumn moved from a dilapidated house and resettled elsewhere in north Moravia.

Most inhabitants of the dilapidated house, that needed to be pulled down, were settled in container-like flats on the town outskirts.

Individual complaints may take even several months to completely investigate. The cases are extensive and require gathering of further documents such as expert assessments and contracts, Javorkova said.

Moreover, the Vsetin police cooperate with the state attorney who consults Cunek’s case with them, she added.

Cunek, who was elected a senator and KDU-CSL chairman last autumn, and became deputy PM and local development minister in the coalition government in January, pleads not-guilty and refuses to step down over the corruption accusations.