Czech environment ministry sparks fury after spending end-of-year budget on 1,000 pairs of UNDERWEAR... including knickers adorned with beaver



Ministry blew £18,000 on pants, umbrellas and 6,000 pens

Animal underwear intended to promote Czech Nature conservation programme

Green campaigners call budgetary spend 'pathetic' and sexist



As far as end-of-year budget spending goes, this is one decision some consider not only a waste of taxpayers' money... but also 'pants'.



The Czech Republic's environment ministry has sparked outrage after ordering 1,000 pairs of male and female underwear as its 2013 budget spend deadline fast approaches.



To make matters worse, the women's knickers have a picture of a beaver on them - a move that has been branded sexist, while the men's come adorned with a cormorant.

The Czech Republic's environment ministry has sparked outrage after ordering 1,000 pairs of male and female underwear, decorated with images of beavers and cormorants, as its 2013 budget spend deadline fast approaches

According to the department, the £18,000 purchasing spree, which also includes cufflinks, umbrellas, pencils, crayons and 6,000 pens, will serve to highlight its Czech Nature campaign and encourage people to take a more active role in environmental protection



However, green campaigners Hnuti Duha (Friends of the Earth Czech Republic) called the decision 'pathetic'.



'It’s completely stupid. It’s so stupid, I can’t find English words for it. I am shocked but not surprised,' Jan Pinos, a spokesman for the group told the Prague Post.



'The money could have been spent much more sensibly on real nature conservation and national parks and landscape protection.'



Green campaigner Jan Pinos lambasted the ministry, headed by Tomas Podivisnky (above), accusing it of sexism

Pinos also accused the ministry, headed by Tomas Podivisnky, of sexism.



He added that it was misleading to promote the issue of nature conservation with beavers and cormorants, as both animals were recently taken off the country's protected species list.



Meanwhile, Ondrej Liska, chairman of the Czech Green Party, said the ministry should 'spend the money on helping to protect human health and the environment' rather than make 'rash decisions on spending,' according to the Daily Telegraph.



Podivinksy argued that the underwear was a far more powerful way to put across his department's message than pens and umbrellas.



He said: 'If you ask me, they have already triggered intensive discussions about our nature, and it is has been done in an interesting and captivating way.'



Pinos also voiced concern over the number of 'real experts' who had been fired from the ministry for not toeing the line of the former ruling party, the Christian Democrats, calling it a 'complete disaster'.



It is not the first time the environment ministry has come under fire over spending.

