Czech President Vaclav Klaus faces treason charge

Source: BBC News

4 March 2013 Last updated at 12:23 ET
Czech President Vaclav Klaus faces treason charge

Lawmakers have narrowly voted to charge outgoing Czech President Vaclav Klaus with high treason.

The upper house voted to refer the president to the constitutional court to rule on whether he had violated the constitution with a New Year amnesty.

The wide-ranging measures were controversial as they resulted in multiple high-profile corruption cases being suspended.

Mr Klaus's term as president of the country is due to end on Thursday.

Thirty-eight senators in the 81-seat house, controlled by the left-wing opposition, voted to impeach the president, with 30 voting against. Only the Senate has such power in the Czech legal system.


Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21660234