Two Czechs to be accused of corruption in Tatra lorries case

Ostrava – The Czech police will accuse two men over alleged corruption during the purchase of the Tatra lorries for the military in the days to come, state attorney Dusan Taborsky confirmed to CTK today.

The investigation has ended and the work of the special Tatra police team is over, said Taborsky, who has refused to disclose the identity of the accused persons.

The case was stirred up by former U.S. ambassador William Cabaniss to the Czech Republic last year. Being a representative of the Tatra lorry-maker, he said then Czech deputy defence minister Martin Bartak asked him for millions of dollars in 2008 in exchange for securing that Tatra will have no problems with a lucrative order.

The press alleged in the past that also arms dealers Petr Ptacek and Michal Smrz were involved in the case besides Bartak. All three have dismissed any guilt.

The information on the two accusations was also confirmed by the spokesman for the Office for Uncovering Corruption and Financial Crime, Jaroslav Ibehej.

“I can confirm that as of today, the work of the Tatra team has ended. Besides, I can confirm the information that criminal proceedings against two persons were started on the order of the state attorney,” Ibehej said.

Taborsky said the interest of the Praga company had been behind everything.

It cooperated with Tatra as a supplier of car component parts.

In mid-December 2006, Tatra signed a contract on the delivery of the lorries for 2.7 billion crowns with the Defence Ministry.

However, a few months later, Tatra terminated the contract over what it called Praga’s low-quality components.

“Tatra terminated the contract with the supplier. Praga felt wronged and tried to return to the game,” Taborsky said, adding that Praga could have earned hundreds of million crowns thanks to Tatra’s deliveries for the military.

After the cooperation with Tatra was ended, the deliveries for the military started facing problems. Cabaniss said the money allegedly mentioned by Bartak in the USA was to resolve them.

Tatra managers were contacted by three people in this connection. Along with Bartak, who discussed the order during his official visit to the USA, it was allegedly also Praga’s representative Ptacek.

Tatra chief Ronald Adams said earlier he had been visited by the agent of a “senior personality” and demanded a five-million bribe in connection with the deal.

Adams said the man had been Smrz.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz

http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/zpravy/two-czechs-to-be-accused-of-corruption-in-tatra-lorries-case/722044