PM Nečas concerned about new government officials’ record

The Czech prime minister, Petr Nečas, has expressed concern about the high number of new ministry officials who came from the largest private Czech security firm, ABL. The agency was until recently owned by Transport Minister Vít Bárta, a founder of Public Affairs, one of the coalition parties of the centre-right cabinet. The Public Affairs party now controls the ministries of interior, transport, education and regional development; four deputy ministers had previously worked for ABL. Mr Nečas told Czech TV on Sunday the number of these officials was unusual, but that his coalition partner, Public Affairs, assured him that no conflict of interest would occur. The prime minister said he would “vigorously intervene”, should such a conflict appear.