A Prague court this week upheld a suspended prison sentence on Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ) head František Dohnal for refusing MPs access to its books, and now he’s out. Politicians — despite public denials — long ago began working to ensure their favorites get on the short list of candidates to replace him; sources tell Czech Position they inlcude the PM’s chief advisor Martin Říman and MP Zdeňka Horníková (both ODS) and Miroslav Vaněk of the ÚZSVM.

Lieutenant colonel Zdeněk Ondráček of the Czech special police unit for uncovering corruption and financial crime, (ÚOKFK), is one of many long-time officers quitting the force. Ondráček says low pay was part of the reason, but he also felt he could not really carry out his work to the best of his abilities and draw on his years of experience — and saw no prospect of that situation changing.

Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ) president František Dohnal was found guilty on Monday of abuse of power for blocking attempts by the lower house's Budgetary Control Committee to inspect the NKÚ's books. Reacting to the ruling PM Petr Nečаs said Dohnal’s position as NKÚ chief is now untenable. But Dohnal has appealed the decision and may hold on to the post — and his salary — until he has exhausted all legal options.

The Defense Ministry has scaled back plans from 2003 to sell dozens of Prague properties, with just two buildings now slated for sale, the Jan Žižka barracks and Invalidovna, both in Prague 8–Karlín. The buildings will be offered to other state institutions, and while the Faculty of Arts of Charles University has shown interest in the barracks, the Supreme Audit Office is another possibility.