Nationalizing CEZ

When the Czech government mentions "energy policy," it's usually a code word for enlarging the Temelín nuclear plant. The government is otherwise prevented from having a true energy policy, because it's hostage to Russia on the one hand (oil and gas) and to minority shareholders of ČEZ on the other (electricity). In analyzing ČEZ's new share-buyback program, Czech Business Weekly raised the issue of whether there are plans to nationalize ČEZ, but analysts were nearly unanimous in agreeing that this won't happen. At least not under this government. General elections are approaching, however, and there's no denying that this could be a seductive topic for the leftist government that is likely to emerge after ODS's policies of market reform and deform. Nationalization is usually a topic for the Communists, but in the case of ČEZ, it might also win a surprising degree of support from capitalists who want to see the CR manage its energy resources better. [Czech Republic power natural gas Gazprom RWE Transgas]