WARSAW — Czech Public Prosecutor's Office filed a motion to prosecute the country's former Defense Minister and another former defense official, claiming the purchase of four transport aircraft caused losses of about 819 million krona (US $33.3 million) for the state budget, according to reports.

Local news agency CTK reports that former Defence Minister Vlast Parkanova and Jiri Stanek, the former head of the Defense Ministry's Armaments Department, were charged with failing to exercise sufficient diligence and abusing public power in the purchasingf the four CASA C-295 aircraft. If sentenced, they could each face up to 10 years in prison.

, for the purchase of four CASA C295 transport aircraft, claiming that the deal has caused losses of about 819 million krona (US $33.3 million) for the state budget, reports local news agency CTK.

Czech Public Prosecutor's Office has filed a motion to prosecute the country's former Defense Minister Vlasta Parkanova and Jiri Stanek, the former head of the Defense Ministry's Armaments Department, for the purchase of four CASA C295 transport aircraft, claiming that the deal has caused losses of about 819 million krona (US $33.3 million) for the state budget, reports local news agency CTK.

Both Parkanova and Stanek claim they are not guilty innocent. The two officials are to be charged with failing to exercise sufficient diligence and abusing public power, and, if sentenced, they could face up to 10 years of prison each.

Personnel of Philippine Air Force (PAF) stand in front of the newly acquired C-295 medium lift fixed-wing aircraft at Villamor Airbase in Manila on March 30, 2015. The C-295s can carry as much as 71 passengers, 50 paratroops, 24 stretchers with 5 to 7 attendants or up to about 20,000 pounds of cargo. The C-295 will enhance the capability of the PAF in providing airlift requirements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and during Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) operations. AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS (Photo credit should read NOEL CELIS/AFP/Getty Images)

Personnel of Philippine Air Force (PAF) stand in front of the newly acquired C-295 medium lift fixed-wing aircraft on March 30 at Villamor Airbase in Manila.

Photo Credit: Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images

The contract to purchase four transport aircraft, worth more than 3.57 billion krona, was signed by the government of then-Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek. In 2009, Topolanek resigned as prime minister after a no-confidence vote in the Czech Parliament, and his party was ousted from power following the parliamentary election in October 2013.

The transport aircraft replaced the Czech Air Force's Soviet-designed Antonov An-26 planes.

The CASA C-295 was developed by Spanish aircraft producer Construcciones Aeronauticas SA, and is currently made by Airbus Defence and Space.

Jaroslaw Adamowski is the Poland correspondent for Defense News.

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