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Czech PM Petr Necas to resign over aide scandal | Czech PM Petr Necas to resign over aide scandal |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas has announced that he will resign on Monday after days of political turmoil. | Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas has announced that he will resign on Monday after days of political turmoil. |
His ruling coalition will try to form a new government led by someone nominated by his Civic Democratic Party (ODS). | |
Pressure had been growing on Mr Necas to quit since prosecutors on Friday charged his chief of staff Jana Nagyova with corruption and abuse of power. | |
Two former MPs, an ex-minister and the current and former heads of military intelligence have also been detained. | Two former MPs, an ex-minister and the current and former heads of military intelligence have also been detained. |
All except one have been remanded in custody. | |
President Milos Zeman has said the charges, brought after armed police raids on government and private offices on Wednesday, are "serious". | President Milos Zeman has said the charges, brought after armed police raids on government and private offices on Wednesday, are "serious". |
Up to 150m koruna (£5m; $8m) in cash, tens of kilograms of gold and large quantities of documents were seized during the raids. | |
'Nothing dishonest' | 'Nothing dishonest' |
Detectives have said Ms Nagyova was suspected of bribing the former MPs with offers of posts in state-owned firms. It is alleged this was in exchange for them giving up their parliamentary seats. | Detectives have said Ms Nagyova was suspected of bribing the former MPs with offers of posts in state-owned firms. It is alleged this was in exchange for them giving up their parliamentary seats. |
Ms Nagyova - a close colleague of Mr Necas for nearly a decade - is also suspected of illegally ordering military intelligence to spy on three people. | Ms Nagyova - a close colleague of Mr Necas for nearly a decade - is also suspected of illegally ordering military intelligence to spy on three people. |
Czech media reported that the targets included Mr Necas's wife, Radka Necasova. Mr Necas announced this week that they were divorcing. | Czech media reported that the targets included Mr Necas's wife, Radka Necasova. Mr Necas announced this week that they were divorcing. |
Mr Necas has rejected all the accusations against Ms Nagyova and the other five accused, saying: "I am personally convinced that I did not do anything dishonest and that my colleagues have not done anything dishonest either." | Mr Necas has rejected all the accusations against Ms Nagyova and the other five accused, saying: "I am personally convinced that I did not do anything dishonest and that my colleagues have not done anything dishonest either." |
However, he told a televised briefing in Prague when announcing his resignation on Sunday evening: "I am aware of my political responsibility." | However, he told a televised briefing in Prague when announcing his resignation on Sunday evening: "I am aware of my political responsibility." |
"I will tender my resignation as prime minister tomorrow." he said. "The entire government will therefore resign with me." | |
The opposition Social Democrats had warned they would press for a no-confidence motion in parliament unless Mr Necas stepped down, and the two other parties in his centre-right coalition had signalled that they could no longer support him. | |
The prime minister said the coalition would try to form a new government, led by a different person, to rule until elections scheduled for June 2014. He is expected to stay on as caretaker until it is installed. | |
Under the Czech constitution, President Zeman - a political rival - is under no obligation to respect the coalition's wishes, and could name his own candidate to head an interim government until early elections are held, | |
Mr Necas also said on Sunday he would resign as his party's chairman. | |
"I am fully aware how the twists and turns of my personal life are burdening the Czech political scene and the Civic Democratic Party," he told the briefing. | |
BBC Prague correspondent Rob Cameron says the admission is the closest the prime minister has come to confirming that the woman at the heart of this scandal - Ms Nagyova - is more than just a colleague. |