It's the Communists' fault

If an experienced politician had been quoted as saying that many of his fellow politicians probably have assets they couldn't have acquired legally, he would have twisted and squirmed in an effort to retract the damaging statement. But not František Bublan, the CR's novice interior minister. Instead, he dug himself deeper into a hole, telling MFD that it was normal under Communism to circumvent laws, to cheat to find a place to live, and to steal from your employer. "And this is still in us," he said. Most politicians, he explained, got their start under the old regime. Bublan's attitude helps explain why corruption doesn't seem to be getting better. As part of his new social contract with voters, Stanislav Gross is promising to increase transparency. This promise will ring hollow unless he puts a no-compromise corruption-buster at the interior ministry. [Czech Republic MF Dnes Communist]