Chopping off heads at CEZ

To the victors go the spoils, and one of the main trophies is ČEZ. It's not just the budget deficit that prompts Vlastimil Tlustý to hasten into selling 16% of the energy company. ČEZ CEO Martin Roman was generous to all sides in the election campaign, which was great for ODS then. But as the governing party, ODS can no longer tolerate the way Roman was hedging his bets. Tlustý hinted before the elections that management changes might be coming, but with ČEZ's profits soaring, sacking Roman presents a problem. It would be considerably easier if some unseemly information about Roman appeared during the run-up to the privatization. His ties to the Russians, for example, would make a nice excuse. And how convenient indeed that ex-ČEZ man Tomáš Hüner is ready at the industry ministry to slip into the top ČEZ post and guarantee the continuity that investors require. [Czech Republic]