Topolanek's opening

"Don't look at me, I'm just the piano player," is the message coming from Premier Jiří Paroubek with regard to Stanislav Gross's latest corruption scandal. The author of TV Nova's "Na vlastní oči" report, Janek Kroupa, also felt the need in Právo today to deny that Paroubek had anything to do with the matter. If Paroubek and TV Nova did indeed conspire to dethrone Gross as ČSSD chairman, they could get burned. Paroubek could be exposed as a power-drunk despot willing to damage his own political party to increase his status within it. And TV Nova could find itself under attack for both political assassination and for taping private conversations without proper approval. If it did have the approval of one of those on the tapes - which seems increasingly likely - the political implications are even greater. The setting is ideal for Mirek Topolánek to pull one of his famous Aikido moves. [Czech Republic ČSSD CME Central European Media Enerprises CETV ODS]