PM wants to prevent mediating firms sponging off the state

Prime Minister Petr Necas has said his government would propose a change of law to prevent mediating companies making fat profits from state military purchases. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, the prime minister said he was determined to push for a change of legislation which would prevent a few privileged firms from sponging off the state and would enable the Defense Ministry to make the purchases directly. As an example the prime minister cited the purchase of four transport CASA planes for the Czech military in which case he said the mediating firm had done very little at a hefty price. Under the present legislation no direct purchases from foreign companies are possible and the Defense Ministry relies on the services of companies such as Omnipol and MPI Group.