Court upholds fine on former minister for release of witness statements

A Prague court on Wednesday threw out an appeal by a former defence minister and confirmed that she must pay a fine of 16,000 crowns for releasing information about a corruption case. The court confirmed the fine on Vlasta Parkanová was imposed on her by the data protection agency after she released details of witness replies regarding a corruption case involving the purchase of CASA transport aircraft. The former minister said she had acted to protect herself in a highly publicized case.