Czech Railway Administration's director had over 80 million crowns in cash at home, was dismissed, and was later charged in a case tied to a railway tender
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What happened
On 25 November 2025, Czech organized-crime police (NCOZ) searched the home of Jiří Svoboda, general director of Správa železnic, the state railway-infrastructure administrator, and found about 80 million crowns in cash (crowns, dollars and euros) and a collection of watches, as part of a probe into suspected manipulation of railway tenders. Svoboda said the money was mainly his father's and grandfather's family savings. The agency's supervisory board dismissed him on 1 December 2025, as announced by Transport Minister Martin Kupka. On 7 August 2026 NCOZ charged five people with obtaining an advantage in the award of a public contract tendered by Správa železnic; Seznam Zprávy reported Svoboda was among them, with the charge reportedly centered on a financial claim. He told Odkryto.cz he was speechless; he had previously rejected any wrongdoing in the tenders. A charge is not a finding of guilt.
By the numbers (3)
● confirmed by a primary document · ○ reported
Roles
1 source
- Česká televize (ČT24)
Správa železnic's board dismisses director Svoboda on 1 December 2025
Figures
1 source
- iDNES.cz
NCOZ finds 80 million crowns in cash at the home of Správa železnic director Svoboda
1 source
- Seznam Zprávy
Police formally charge the former Správa železnic chief in August 2026
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