Czech Mate

Czech prosecutors charged two former heads of military intelligence along with the previous prime minister’s chief of staff, Jana Nagyova, with corruption. Ms. Nagyova was charged with abuse of power and bribery after prosecutors said she ordered a military intelligence agency to spy on three people. The most notable of those spied upon is the estranged wife of Prime Minister Peter Necas who resigned in disgrace. Mr. Necas said that he and his wife, Radka Necasova, were divorcing.

It has been rumored that Mr. Necas and Ms. Necasova were having an affair, and that she exerted pressure on him to bring about the divorce. Last year Ms. Nagyova first made headlines for receiving hefty bonuses from Necas, who had been previously elected for being “Mr. Clean”. Giggles were abundant when he explained that “she works like a horse.” Subsequently, “Mr. Clean” has admitted to his affair with his chief of staff.

Currently behind bars, Nagyova’s lawyer claims that she acted in good faith to protect the Prime Minister and his wife from scandal. Radka Necasova had “allegedly got in touch with the Jehovah’s Witnesses and began to raise money for gifts…And since Ms. Nagyova didn’t like it and thought it would be good to monitor, she requested surveillance.”

The former chief of staff is also suspected of promising lucrative jobs in state-run companies to three former lawmakers from Necas’ party on condition they quit parliament, and of having contact with entrepreneurs of disrepute.

She faces five years in prison if convicted, in the most extensive anti-corruption operation since the end of Communism. After belligerently reacting to the scandal, and claiming that he would not resign; Mr. Necas was forced to step down.

According to Miroslav Mares, a security expert at Masaryk University in Brno, the corruption that exists between the government and corporate interests has eroded the trust in the Czech government among its allies; including the United States.

“The affair will certainly raise question marks about the trustworthiness of our military intelligence,” Mr. Mares said, “since the intelligence department may have been used for personal reasons that seem to belong in gossip columns.”