Czech Republic Minister of Transport banned from driving

November 10, 2010

, the Minister of Transport for the Czech Republic, has been banned from driving. Bárta has been banned for six months after being caught driving with a fake licence plate.

The minister was driving with a sticker with his registration number written on it glued to the hood of his car. He was caught in July, while driving his home from his own wedding. He claimed to have lost the original licence plate while driving along a dirt road. It has been reported that Bárta does not plan to appeal the ban.

As well as his six-month driving ban, Bárta has also been fined 5,000. The charges were announced by Karel Hanzelka, a spokesman for the Transport Ministry.

Bárta spoke to reporters about his ban. He joked around saying that he wouldn't really miss his licence and that his "wife will drive him around". He also said that he accepted his punishment.