Crisis coaching

How reassuring it was to hear Industry Minister Martin Říman tell Czech TV yesterday that GDP will grow by 3.5-4% next year! Less reassuring, though, was hearing PM Minister Mirek Topolánek tell Radio Česko last week that economic problems are hurtling down on the CR and that people will have to get ready for the situation to be somewhat worse next year than it has been in the past five years. Any listener with economic awareness would probably translate Topolánek's words into negative GDP growth and recession. Yet Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek assured Radio Impuls last week that there is no threat of a recession. How can one government be sending such disparate signals? Don't the ministers receive talking points? This is where a vice PM for economics could be quite useful. He or she could bring economic sobriety to the cabinet and make sure it speaks with a single, credible voice. [Czech Republic Television Rádio gross domestic product]