Petr Hlubuček (STAN), who is among the 11 accused in connection with the management of the Prague Transport Company (DPP), has resigned as deputy mayor of Prague, a member of the City Council, and a member of the Supervisory Board of Prague Services, Šárka Kuželová, a spokesperson for the Prague STAN movement, said.
On Wednesday, Hlubuček resigned from all party posts, including his position on STAN’s candidate list for the autumn elections to the town council, where he came in third place. The STAN movement suspended his membership. Hlubuček also resigned from the DPP supervisory board.
“Unfortunately, it is currently not possible to publish the details of the Resolution on the initiation of criminal prosecution. Such a procedure could obstruct the ongoing criminal proceedings,” said Hlubuček’s defense lawyer Lukáš Trojan.
“However, I am authorized by my client to state that the description of my client’s actions contained in the Resolution on the initiation of the criminal investigation is indeed opposed to the way my client and his role in the DP case is publicly presented based on information leaked by the media,” Trojan continued.
“We can therefore only appeal that even in the case of Ing. Hlubuček as a person of public interest, the principle of the presumption of innocence must be respected,” he added.
Hlubuček said in a press release that he decided to resign after staying in office and became a placeholder for some city council members for unfounded political criticism of the Mayors and Independents movement.
On Wednesday evening, the STAN movement suspended Hlubuček’s membership, and the board called him to resign as deputy mayor and from other positions in which he represents STAN because of the accusations.
Mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates) called on him to resign, and Prague councilors were to discuss his dismissal today.
Police officers from the National Centre against Organised Crime charged 11 people on Wednesday over the DPP’s management. According to media reports, the accused include businessman Michal Redl, in addition to Hlubuček.
Both are suspected of corruption and participation in an organized group, while Redl is also facing suspicion of illegal disposal of narcotic and psychotropic substances.
According to unofficial media reports, the suspects also include lobbyist Pavel Dovhomilja, deputy of the transport company Matej Augustín and other people from the closest management of the DPP.