Supporters of Czech deputy PM Cunek plan protests

Supporters of Czech deputy PM Jiri Cunek (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL, chairman) who is accused of corruption plan to stage three protest meetings in Prague, Vsetin and Prerov to point to allegedly unacceptable steps in Cunek’s prosecution and investigation into his case, protest organiser Zbynek Horvath told CTK today.

"We want to stand up against suspicious practices of the law enforcement bodies," said Horvath.

Cunek, who is also Local Development Minister and senator, has been accused of having taken a half-million-crowns bribe in 2002 when he was mayor of Vsetin. He pleads innocent and he has refused to step down from the government posts.

The extra-parliamentary nationalist National Party (NS) is also considering a demonstration in Cunek’s support in reaction to Wednesday’s rally of Romanies calling for Cunek’s resignation.

Cunek raised uproar among Romanies by his controversial statements in the tabloid Blesk about "sunburnt people," alluding to Romanies’ skin colour, who " make a mess with their family and put up fires on town squares."

The National Party says that Cunek is the only politician who does not fear to openly express his opinions about Romanies and accompany them by real acts.

However, Cunek distanced himself from support of neo-Nazi, xenophobic and ultra-right forces.

The organisers of protest meetings in Cunek’s support want to present pieces of evidence about contacts of state attorney Radim Obst, supervising Cunek’s case, to high officers of the former communist secret police (StB), and other information on the case’s background.

Moreover, the protest organisers say that Obst is expediently protracting the proceedings.

Senator Jaromir Stetina (for Greens) pointed to Obst’s contacts with the StB previously.

He also claims that Cunek corruption accusation is politically motivated as the suspicion of bribery emerged after Cunek joined the cabinet.

The protest meetings will start outside the Government Office in Prague next Wednesday at 16:00 and will continue outside the Vsetin Municipal Office on Thursday and at the State Attorney’s Office in Prerov on Monday, April 23.

Among the personalities who promised to take part in the meetings are Stetina, Vsetin Mayor Kvetoslava Othova (KDU-CSL), former dissident and former BIS intelligence service officer Vladimir Hucin and Girolamo Giormani, head of the Movement in Protection of Real Estate Owners (HOMR).

Horvath said that Cunek, too, would take part is some of the meetings and comment on the case.

The junior ruling Greens called on Cunek to resign and said they are considering withdrawing from the government over Cunek. The Greens’ national council will decide on the party’s stance on Saturday.

The KDU-CSL leadership has always backed up Cunek so far.