Police Investigating Situation at Czech TV

The situation at the public station Czech Television (CT), where some employees have refused to cooperate with the newly-appointed general director, Jiri Hodac, is being investigated by the police, Police Presidium spokeswoman Ivana Zelenakova told CTK today. The Prague 4 district office of investigation is dealing with five complaints, including both complaints against the new CT management and complaints against the protesting staff, she said. Both parties in the dispute accuse each other of several crimes - harming of other person's rights, illegal use of other person's property and illegal interference in the right of ownership of a house, flat or nonresidential premises. The criminal complaints also concern the financial management of CT in the past period, Zelenakova said. Hodac told CTK today that the CT management had lodged a criminal complaint against an unknown person but also against concrete protesting employees. He said that they were basically the same people who were to receive dismissal notices on Tuesday [26th December], but refused to take them. Hodac considers editors, who are preparing newscasts regardless of the ban from the new newsroom management, "pirates" broadcasting unauthorized programs. Zelenakova confirmed to CTK today that there was also a complaint lodged by the CT management among the complaints received by the police.