Topolanek tells Cunek to clear up welfare fraud allegations or quit cabinet

Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek has said Deputy Prime Minister Jiri Cunek will have to leave the government if he cannot plausibly and quickly refute allegations he abused the social welfare system. A Czech Television programme this week alleged that during the 1990s Mr Cunek collected social welfare while at the same time lodging millions of crowns in different bank accounts. Members of the party Mr Cunek leads, the Christian Democrats, have also called for him to clear up the matter. The deputy prime minister denies the allegations.

Jiri Cunek has frequently been in the headlines since he entered national politics last year. He was accused of racism after moving Romany rent-defaulters out of the Moravian town where he was mayor, while for a time his position in government was under threat due to alleged bribe-taking, though those allegations never made it to court.

Author: Ian Willoughby