Police releases two civil servants arrested during anti-corruption raid at Labour Ministry

Two high ranking civil servants, arrested as suspects, during Monday’s police raid at the Ministry of Labour and Social affairs have been released from custody, but charges against them remain, Czech Television reports.

Deputy Minister Jan Baláč and the head of the ministry’s cybersecurity department Karel Macek are both suspected of manipulating public tenders and have been suspended.

Monday’s police raid saw the police gather evidence at the ministry for a case concerned with a contract for new information systems at the labour ministry worth some CZK 250 million, according to news site Lidovky.cz. Both men could face up to 12 years in jail if found guilty.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis says he will demand an explanation on the circumstances that led to the raid from Labour Minister Jana Maláčová.