Brno, July 2 (CTK) – The long awaited trial of U.S. citizen Ronald Adams, former director general Czech Tatra lorry maker, who is charged with corruption, started at the Brno Municipal Court yesterday.

According to the charges, Adams offered a 20-million-crown bribe to then deputy defence minister Martin Bartak during the negotiations about the supply of off-road vehicles for the Czech military.

Adams did not appear in court since he had asked for the court proceedings in his absence beforehand.

His testimony in which he denied the corruption charges was read in court yesterday.

If found guilty, Adams faces up to five years in prison.

Bartak, who accused Adams of corruption, will testify in the trial as a witness. Bartak said Adams had talked about the bribe at the IDET trade fair in Brno in 2009. Adams dismissed it.

However, Bartak himself has been charged with bribery in an interconnected case. He allegedly asked for a bribe to solve the problem Tatra faced with the supplies for the Czech military. Adams will be a witness in this case that is yet to be proceeded.

According to the police, Adams offered Bartak a bribe in exchange for the Defence Ministry placing further military orders with Tatra.

Adams says about the case he had several negotiations with influential businessman and lobbyist Michal Smrz in February 2008. Smrz allegedly conveyed to him high-ranking people’s requirement for a bribe that was to ensure a problem-free completion of the delivery of 588 off-road vehicles for the Czech military for 2.7 billion crowns. The charges are based on Smrz and Bartak’s testimony.