Woman arrested in Mariánské Lázně: 800 crowns for a vote for Naše Česko
Police arrested a woman suspected of vote-buying in municipal elections in Mariánské Lázně. In a video, she instructs voters how to vote in exchange for payment.
Woman captured on video arrested in Cheb, case heading to court
A woman identified by the initials G.F. reported to the department of economic crime in Cheb on Monday, where police officers arrested her. According to Seznam Zprávy, Cheb criminal investigators opened criminal proceedings on suspicion of committing the misdemeanour of obstructing the preparation and conduct of elections and referendums.
"The wanted woman reported to the department of economic crime in Cheb today, where she was subsequently arrested," said Jan Bílek, spokesman for the Regional Police Headquarters of the Karlovy Vary region.
The woman was identified based on a video call recorded during the municipal elections in Mariánské Lázně. In an approximately four-minute recording in the possession of Seznam Zprávy, she offers voters 800 crowns for a vote for the Naše Česko movement.
"You'll go and vote normally at that school. You'll tick Naše Česko, number three, and when you're behind the screen, you'll take a photo of it, showing that you were really there and that you ticked what I told you to. You'll send it to me and I'll send you the money," she says in the video. Later in the recording, she claims to have approximately 25 people willing to participate in the scheme. However, she did not reveal who provided her with the money.
The author of the recording is twenty-nine-year-old Ondřej. According to his account, he learned of the offer through his girlfriend. "That girl contacted my girlfriend, they're work friends, saying she could get 800 crowns for a vote. My girlfriend told me about it, I didn't like it, so I filmed her," he explained. He himself did not accept any money, but claims to know people who were paid for their votes.
Samuel Zabolotný, a former deputy mayor, headed the Naše Česko candidate list in Mariánské Lázně and retained his councillor mandate in the elections. He denies any involvement in vote-buying and claims he became a victim of an extortion attempt. He therefore filed a criminal complaint himself.
The chairman of Naše Česko and South Bohemian governor Martin Kuba stated that Zabolotný ceased collaborating with the movement before the scandal broke—the reason was reportedly his negotiations with the ANO movement. "He no longer represents us and is not a member of our movement. Regarding the recording, I would prefer not to comment on it for now, because an investigation is ongoing," Kuba said.
Naše Česko received 7.4 per cent of votes and two mandates in the twenty-one-member council in the municipal elections in Mariánské Lázně.
Source: Google News CZ — Crime (cs)