Prague - Despite the fact that the latest audit of Jiří Čunek´s finances raised new questions, Jiří Čunek regards the whole issue of his corruption as "closed".
Čunek stated this at a press conference Tuesday, adding the US investigative firm Kroll that conducted the audit was wrong in their conclusion that he had been involved in lobbying for an armament company Zbrojovka with Finance Minister Kalousek.
Kroll´s statement angered Miroslav Kalousek who has drafted a letter of complaint addressed to Kroll, in which he asked for an apology.
Witness speaks up
Among the persons interviewed during the audit preparation was Karel Dančák, then Zbrojovka´s executive director, who said that "Mr. Čunek was involved in Zbrojovka's efforts to win a government contract for the Plamen machine gun commissioned for the Czech-made L-159 military jet."
Dančák also mentions the fact that Miroslav Kalousek was Defense Minister at that time and was responsible for acquisitions and budget.
Curent Finance Minister Kalousek denied ever talking about the commission with Čunek.
Jiří Čunek considers Dančák´s words offensive.
Not lobbying for Kalousek
Čunek denies lobbying Minister Kalousek on behalf of Zbrojovka but he also refuses to reveal for whom it was that he lobbied.
Among those who do not recall Jiří Čunek being a lobbyist are former Defense Ministers Antonín Baudyš and Vilém Holáň.
Čunek is satisfied, though, with consdering Kroll´s audit as "true". The report does not reveal any proof of bribery and Čunek does not think that the fact he earned thousands of CZK while receiving social benefits. He argued the law allowed that, as the reimbursement of costs for travelling in his own car did not have to be stated in the social allowance application.
The audit of Jiří Čunek´s finances was commissioned by Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg who could not stand the fact he would be in government together with a person who had been suspected of bribery. Schwarzenberg paid for the audit from his own expenses.
Kalousek is clean
Miroslav Kalousek was the Defense Minister in 1993 - 1998, during which time the Czech army went through a series of corruption scandals.
Many believed Kalousek was involved with bribes. He argued that mistakes were inevitable during the period of army transformation, and denied accusations of corruption.
Due to his compromised reputation, Kalousek was force to defend his membership in the KDU-ČSL (Christian Democratic) party. He was widely seen as unstrustworthy not only by the party members but by the public in general.
Miroslav Kalousek is also infamous for consenting to form a coalition government with the Communist party and the Social Democrats in 2005, which was rather an unexpected move from the anti-communist Christian Democratic leader. The party leaders eventually refused to support such a government and Kalousek resigned.
