The Key Investments archives are a powerful weapon, both for those with something to lose and something to gain. The web of influence involved in the scandal around the dodgy brokerage goes to the summit of the Czech business-political power axes — and that’s the reason why only one token, and peripheral, culprit has been reeled in so far: former industry and trade minister Martin Kocourek.

The battle over the assets of the investment firm Key Investments, through which the administrations of Prague 6, 10 and 13 invested hundreds of millions of crowns, undoubtedly has a number of politicians gripped with fear. The organs of justice have finally begun to take action: in mid-March the Prague 2 district court ordered the confiscation of the assets of the firm Oleochem, Czech Position has learnt.

In an attempt to end the controversy surrounding the state-owned Budějovický Budvar brewery, Prime Minister Petr Nečas (Civic Democrats, ODS) has ordered Minister of Agriculture Petr Bendl to depoliticize the debate over the brewer’s future and replace politicians on the supervisory board with experts.   

The civic pressure group Fair Housing in Prague 10 says plans drawn up by the district council led by district mayor Milan Richter to sell off 44 residential villas are non-transparent, non-conceptual and unfair, and fears the tenants will be evicted. The properties are worth a total of around Kč 1 billion. Although city districts must inform the central administration of plans to transfer ownership of property valued above Kč 50 million, Prague 10 failed to do so.