Interpellations at the council of Prague 5 dominated expenses for consultants

For example, Jan Kavalírek (TOP 09), a member of the Committee on Finance and Investments, left the opposition camp. At the previous meeting in February, he interpellated the mayor Radka Šimková (Prague 5 Sobě). He asked her why councilors for SEN 21 have almost three times the number of advisers compared to other entities in the coalition (Prague 5 Sobě, Piráti).

Kavalírek read the March response at the council meeting. “The SEN 21 consultant costs are the result of a political agreement. SEN 21 relinquished the position of vacant representative to the Pirates and was partially compensated by spending on their advisers. Overall, the set spending limit of two million crowns was respected,” Kavalírek interpreted the mayor’s response. According to Kavalírek, this compensatory political agreement acts as a political bargain.

Thanks to the increase, some SEN 21 advisers earned at least 300,000 crowns last year. As Kavalírek pointed out at the meeting that, for example, councilor Milan Vrkoč’s adviser is the son of Prague 5 representative and ombudsman Svatopluk Bartoně (SEN 21), who earned 372,000 crowns last year.

Last year, the work of the advisers was, for example, analysis, legal advice, research, presentations or communication with the town hall departments.

Kavalírek has now requested additional information from the mayor, for example, he wants to see the contracts concluded with the advisers or reports of their work. The mayor promised to respond in writing. The opposition representative also interpellated councilor Vrkoč, whom he asked for a comment on the adviser’s reported activities.

“Activities such as communicating with citizens on social networks or presenting the councilor’s work seem more like PR to me,” said Kavalírek. Bartoň’s son is the PR manager of the joint campaign of SEN 21 and Volt Czech Republic in the elections to the European Parliament. Councilor Vrkoč said that he would respond to Kavalírk in writing.

Regarding the adviser, deputy mayor Monika Shaw Salajová (Praha 5 Sobě) was questioned by Savina Finardi (TOP 09). According to Finardi, the reported activities of adviser Salajová could be handled by an assistant and this is an administrative activity.

“I have two big responsibilities that are full of problems, I am a member of several committees. There is a lot of work. Advisors are an important part of politics and a big help. I have never exceeded my monthly expenses for counsellors,” replied the deputy mayor. Finardi also asked questions to Vrkoč, who will also answer in writing.

Opposition representative Jan Klusoń (ANO) wanted to know from Salajová the details of the political compensation agreement, which related to expenses for consultants. Salajová said she would respond in writing. Klusoń then interpellated Vrkoč, when he read a comprehensive description of the work of Vrkoč’s advisor. He wanted to know who controlled this activity for the town hall. Vrkoč said that he would respond in writing.

The opposition representative Lukáš Herold also paused over the political agreement, who interpellated the representative and senator Václav Láska (SEN 21). “I was completely shocked, this is a political deal. It’s not about who needs an adviser, but about finding newsagents as part of the post-election negotiations,” he said.

“I confirm the agreement. It was not compensated by anything else. There are no other agreements. It is not similar to what I have challenged with criminal charges in the past. There, the suspicion that it was corruption was confirmed. This is incomparable. What you accuse us of is a political agreement within the limits of criminal law,” Láska responded.

Láska was also mentioned in the interpellation, which representative Jan Panenka (ODS) addressed to deputy mayor Shaw Salajová. “I was interested in the data in your advisor’s timesheet, when the work for the unreleased representative of Mr. Láska is reimbursed. I don’t know why the statement shows that it takes several hours to process the statement for wage compensation, when this, as everyone knows, is a matter of minutes.” The deputy mayor said that she would respond in writing in this case as well.