The Czech Police have reportedly completed their investigation into the alleged payment of cash bribes by Vít Bárta, de facto leader of the Public Affairs (VV), to now-former party members and serving MPs, Jaroslav Škárka and Kristýna Kočí, and will recommend the state prosecution service to prosecute Bárta, the server aktualne.cz reported Tuesday.   

Vít Bárta, head of Public Affairs’ club of MPs, was notified by anti-corruption police on Tuesday that he faces charges of suspected attempted bribery for cash payments made to former party colleagues Jaroslav Škárka and Kristýna Kočí. At the same time, Škárka was officially charged on suspicion of accepting a bribe from Bárta.

Two days before the Czech lower house’s Mandate and Immunity Committee meets to discuss a request by police to lift the parliamentary immunity of Public Affairs (VV) de facto leader Vít Bárta, he has requested his fellow MPs vote to oblige the request so he can face bribery charges. Several sources say in recent weeks he had lobbied various factions to vote in favor of preserving his immunity.

The lower house of parliament vote on whether to lift the immunity of de facto VV boss Vít Bárta and allow him to be questioned by police over suspected illegal “cash for loyalty” payments to fellow MPs is set for the end of August. A newspaper survey says most lawmakers will support a proposal to strip Bárta of his immunity, almost certainly leading to increased tensions in the government coalition.