Final Word from Thursday, January 19, 2006
If it's true, as HN reported today, that the antitrust office will likely strike down the e-toll tender on Mon., a major reshuffling of the cabinet could occur in the coming weeks. There is speculation that Premier Jiří Paroubek will use the hotly contested electronic-toll tender, which was won by Kapsch, to force KDU-ČSL out of the government. KDU holds not only the transport ministry, but also the foreign ministry, the environment ministry and numerous other high-level posts. Replacing all these people with ČSSD loyalists would give Paroubek a boost and could dash any hopes of an ODS/KDU government after the elections. One of Paroubek's goals seems to be to drive KDU below the 5% threshold for making it into Parliament. Doubts about whether the e-toll tender was truly flawed and whether the antitrust office is truly independent are of secondary importance. [Czech Republic Hospodářské noviny competition anti-monopoly transportation Milan Šimonovský]