A test for ODS

In the 10 days since we called for the business community to find a platform for agreeing on legislative changes that benefit everyone, VP Martin Jahn of the Confederation of Industry has been busy forming a "coalition of the willing." The Confederation, backed by the American, Dutch, German and Nordic chambers of commerce, brokered a landmark deal yesterday with the ČMKOS labor union on eliminating 15 of the biggest nuisances in the labor code. ČSSD quickly jumped on board. Why, then, is Labor Minister Petr Nečas of ODS so hesitant to amend a labor code his party has so sharply criticized? Instead of passing a quick amendment now, he prefers a major revision later, mixing easy changes with thorny issues that both ČMKOS and ČSSD will oppose. This strategy has too many "ifs" attached and risks further eroding the business community's faith in the ruling coalition. [Czech Republic Transportation Škoda Auto vice president]