PRAGUE, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Former Czech regional development minister Rostislav Vondruska was given a one-year suspended sentence with a 2.5-year probation for corruption on Tuesday.
The Prague 2 District Court found him guilty of using gift vouchers paid by the Czech Tourism state agency for personal purposes, according to local media.
Vondruska was also ordered to pay almost 150,000 crowns (6,612 U.S. dollars) in compensation, said Czech News Agency.
The verdict has not taken effect as it will take time for both the state attorney and Vondruska to consider an appeal.
Vondruska, as then general director of CzechTourism, bought gift vouchers for weekend wellness stays in Czech hotels for almost 600,000 crowns. However, he used only a part of them for the official purpose.
Vondruska, who was regional development minister during 2009-2010, denies the charges.
