Final Word from Wednesday, June 14, 2017



Hungary and Poland are the closest things the EU has to pariah states. They are regularly singled out for harsh criticism, so it was a slap in the face for the EU Commission to lump the Czechs in yesterday with the Hungarians and Poles in announcing infringement procedures for violating the refugee quotas. It was especially irreverent after the way Jean-Claude Juncker decided last week not to press the quota issue in private talks in Prague (according to Senate Pres. Milan Štěch). Or after Der Spiegel avoided mentioning the Czechs in the same breath as the two usual suspects. Yet all is not bad in Prague. Czech politicians had a field day yesterday hitting back at the EU. Even the pro-EU parties joined the EU-bashing. Think about it, if you were one of these pro-EU parties, wouldn't you try to strike a deal with the EU Commission? We'll pretend until after the parliamentary elections that we're against these very unpopular quotas, and then we'll get into line. But to make this happen, the Commission must throw its weight at the right moment behind the pro-EU, anti-Babiš coalition. Deal? Deal. [Czech Republic European Union Brussels ČSSD Andrej ANO TOP 09 KDU-ČSL]

Glossary of difficult words

pariah - an outcast;

pariah state - a country that is an outcast in the international community;

to lump in with - to put in an indiscriminate mass or group; to treat as alike without regard for particulars;

irreverent - showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously;

field day - an opportunity for action or success, esp. at the expense of others;

to hit back at - to criticize someone who has criticized you;

to bash - fiercely to criticize or oppose;

Deal? Deal. - "It is a deal?" "Yes, it is a deal."

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