Russian Christmas gift

The grand coalition might technically be on hold, but the ČEZ coalition is alive and kicking. Buried deep in the 90-minute debate on Sun. between ODS Chair Mirek Topolánek and ČSSD Chair Jiří Paroubek was a moment of complete harmony. Topolánek and Paroubek agreed that all three bidders for enlarging Temelín should be allowed to qualify and continue. In a contest where "every little word can play a big role," this was a major policy statement. Before Christmas, there had been talk from the Fischer cabinet of disqualifying the Russians for energy-security reasons. The push to keep Rosatom in can be read several ways. The ČEZ coalition will of course promote it as an effort to increase the transparency and competitive nature of the tender. Others will say it does just the opposite and prolongs by another two years the debate about how much the CR wants to depend on Russia for energy. [Czech Republic AtomStroyExport Westinhouse Areva Jan Kohout]