Who Snorted Cocaine in the Czech Parliament? MPs Accuse Each Other and Demand Drug Tests
A debate has begun in the Czech Republic about the need for drug testing of members of parliament. However, this case is a nail in the coffin of Czech parliamentary democracy and the already very shaken trust of Czech citizens in politicians, and above all, it is a huge disgrace, political scientist Lukáš Vales told CNN Prima NEWS.
‘We still don't know who was using cocaine on the premises of the Chamber of Deputies. It seems far-fetched to draw a conclusion about drug tests for MPs,’ said Marek Benda, head of the ODS parliamentary club. In addition, he said, no one has the right to test lawmakers. According to the law, they are not employees, added ANO MP Jaroslava Pokorna Yermanova.
In response to the discovery of cocaine in the toilets of the House of Commons, some MPs are considering taking a drug test. But how convincing the results will be depended on what type of test they choose. Michał Miowski, a drug expert, told Newsweek that hair tests are the most accurate but also the most expensive. However, he does not consider this action unnecessary.
‘Different substances are metabolised at different rates. Some types of substances will not be detected by a normal saliva test, while others will be more intense. For example, cannabis takes a long time to be detected by the tests,’ said Miowski. ‘Cocaine, in particular, is washed out of the body very quickly,’ he added.
According to Miowsky, a saliva, urine or blood test will only confirm recent drug use. A deputy who uses drugs but wants to get clean just needs to abstain for a few days.
In this context, the mayor of Brno, Marketa Vankova (ODS), responded to the publication of a photo with a white powder from several years ago by taking a drug test. It turned out to be negative.
According to Miowski, if MPs wanted to get a picture of the use of substances in the House of Representatives, it would be enough to test the wastewater there. In turn, it is necessary to regularly test MPs at the entrance.
As a reminder, Seznam News recently reported that in January 2023, the Czech Police Protection Service found a piece of paper with traces of cocaine in the men's toilets of the House of Representatives. Speaker of the House Marketa Pekárová Adamová (TOP 09) was not aware of the situation. The police have not yet found out who brought the drug into the toilet. Czech politicians are now accusing each other of drug use, and Pirates president Ivan Bartos even called for mass testing of his and opposition MPs.