Minister resigns, but denies involvement in corruption

Sabina Slonková, Jan Němec
8. 12. 2011 11:09
Czech Culture Minister did not declare his share in a company that bought luxury apartment in US
Czech Culture Minsiter Jiří Besser
Czech Culture Minsiter Jiří Besser | Foto: Jan Langer

UPDATE (8 December 2011) Czech Culture Minister Jiří Besser (TOP 09) resigned from his government post after Czech daily Insider revealed the he had failed to declare his ownership of a company that had bought an apartment in Florida, US. In addition, the company is co-owned by a man convicted of corruption.

Besser said he resigned because he did not feel any support from his peers. Also, he denied being involved in any "corruption affair".

Here is the original story from 2 December 2011:

Prague - Czech Culture Minister Jiří Besser (TOP 09) is a friend and business partner of a man convicted of corruption charges.

Yesterday, Czech evening daily Insider revealed that Besser failed to declare - as obliged by law - his ownership share in US company Comoros Group, which has bought a luxury apartment in Grand Estuary Trail, one of Florida's golf resorts, for USD 230,000.

The firm was established three months before the acquisition of the apartment, and has no other activity apart from the buy.

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This creates a suspicion that Besser bought the apartment himself, using the company as a front, said Insider.

In addition, Czech online daily Aktualne.cz wrote today that Besser's business partner in Comoros Group is Pavel Hrách, a Czech entrepreneur convicted four weeks ago for bribing an influential manager of Czech Consolidation Agency.

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For the government of PM Petr Nečas (Civic Democratic Party), the issue is especially embarrassing since it has declared "anti-corruption efforts" as one of its key priorities.

In an interview with Aktualne.cz, Besser intended to play down the whole thing, claiming that at the time he was helping Hrách, the verdict was not legally effective. "He got only a probation, didn't he?" Besser said.

"Really disappointing"

Petr Gazdík, chairman of the TOP 09 lawmakers, is much more critical.

"First, there is obviously a violation of law, as Mr Besser failed to include the information of his share in a company in his property declaration. For me, personally, a bigger problem is that a minister of the government is in a firm owned by a person convicted for corruption. That was really disappointing for me" said Gazdík.

Czech law obliges all members of the parliament to file property declaration.

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