Swiss prosecution appreciates Czechs’ change in attitude in MUS case

Switzerland’s Attorney General Michal Lauber has appreciated a change in attitude by the Czech authorities in investigating alleged corruption in the 1998 privatization of the mining company MUS. In an interview for the daily Le Temps on Wednesday, Mr Lauber said that following political changes in early 2012, his office registered a genuine will of the Czech authorities to progress in the case. Until the end of 2011, the Czech Republic did everything to make things more difficult for Swiss prosecution, Mr Lauber said.

Swiss and Czech authorities raised charges of corruption against former managers of the firm; they face accusations that they privatized the firm using money earmarked for environmental projects. A trial against the accused is set to begin in Switzerland on Monday.

Author: Jan Richter