Czech vice-PM under pressure to quit over welfare

...while having large personal savings.

First Deputy Prime Minister Jiri Cunek, who leads Topolanek's key coalition partner party, the centrist Christian Democrats, said he did nothing illegal nor unethical.

The public Czech Television said on Monday that Cunek, a father of four, was on welfare in the 1990s while simultaneously depositing cash in banks.

Cunek has filed a criminal complaint in relation to the television report, a step prompting police investigation.

"Jiri Cunek must explain this credibly or he does not have the right to remain in my cabinet," Topolanek said on Wednesday.

Cunek said that while he did draw some welfare payments, he did nothing wrong.

"I absolutely deny the thesis that I abused welfare," Cunek told a news conference, adding that savings were not a factor that would disqualify him from receiving the benefits.

Some senior members of the Christian Democrats also piled pressure on their chairman, raising the chances that his potential ousting may not shake the three-party ruling coalition, which has just 100 seats in the 200-seat lower house of parliament.

"A normal man who has two healthy hands does not take welfare when he has millions (of crowns) on his accounts," news agency CTK quoted Christian Democrats Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek as saying.

Cutting welfare abuse is one of the key social policies of both Cunek's party and the cabinet.

There was no immediate reaction from Topolanek to Cunek's defence.

The centre-right coalition of Topolanek's right-wing Civic Democrats (ODS), the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) and the Greens took power early this year, following election in 2006.

[PRAGUE/Reuters/Finance.cz]