State attorney files proposal for Tatra CEO to be charged with corruption

State attorney Jan Petrásek filed a proposal on Friday with the Brno Regional Court for Ronald Adams, the CEO of Moravian lorry maker Tatra Truck, to be charged with corruption. Mr Adams, an American national, is suspected of having offered a 20 million crown bribe to try and secure a military contract with the Czech Army. He was accused by former defence minister Martin Barták, himself a suspect in the case. Mr Adams allegedly discussed the bribe at the IDET trade fair in Brno in 2009. In the past, Mr Adams refused to comment on the case, citing the ongoing investigation; later he described details of backstage negotiations between Tatra and representatives of the Czech state in an interview for Lidové noviny. He admitted to the daily that a bribe was mentioned but said he had only tried to suss out the situation.

Author: Jan Velinger