U.S. turned blind eye to Barták

U.S. officials knew about Deputy Finance Minister Martin Barták's requests for bribes as part of a military contract but chose to keep silent out of fear of disrupting missile-defense negotiations, according to a new report.

Barták is currently on unpaid leave from his position as deputy finance minister because of the ongoing investigation into allegations that in 2008, while serving as deputy defense minister, he sought a bribe worth millions of dollars to help guarantee a contract between all-terrain truck manufacturer Tatra and the Defense Ministry.

The weekly Respekt reported that the head of Tatra's supervisory board, William J. Cabaniss, also former U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic, immediately notified the FBI and the State Department about the conversation with Barták, which was recorded by microphones installed in the room for security reasons.

Cabaniss came forward publicly Nov. 12 saying Barták had asked for a bribe. His claims were backed by a colleague.

The FBI has refused to confirm or deny the episode or that the recording exists, but Respekt reports a heated meeting between FBI and State Department officials about whether to ban Barták from the country or to pursue a corruption investigation. But that debate coincided with talks between the Topolánek and Bush administrations regarding the placement of a missile-defense radar base in the Czech Republic, prompting intelligence officials to abandon the investigation out of fear of causing a "diplomatic scandal" that would "damage the long-term relations of the allied countries," the magazine said.

"I'm still surprised no new information was presented on what exactly Mr. Cabaniss can prove; if both U.S. officials have no other evidence than their personal testimonies, I cannot imagine this case will end with any meaningful result," Tomáš Kramár, president of anti-corruption organization Oživení, told The Prague Post.

Barták's offer to Cabaniss was prompted by political developments that threatened the security of the Tatra contract with the Defense Ministry, the report said. Barták reportedly requested a bribe to guarantee the contract would go forward.

Barták has denied the bribery accusations, and the case is being investigated by the Organized Crime Unit and two detectives.

Cat Contiguglia can be reached at
ccontiguglia@praguepost.com