Final Word from Wednesday, June 3, 2015
If Jiří Dienstbier hadn't insisted on running for president, Jan Švejnar could be the head of state today, and ČSSD wouldn't feel the urgent need to amend the Constitution to domesticate Miloš Zeman. Instead, Dienstbier and Zeman have been running a mutual-animosity campaign since the presidential election, with each kicking the other in the shin whenever possible. It's true, as Dienstbier now states, that the coalition agreement calls for constitutional amendment, and there is nothing inherently wrong with taking away the president's sole power to appoint CNB board members. However, it's puerile and futile of Dienstbier to try to state explicitly in the Constitution that foreign policy is set by the cabinet. He himself admits that this is already the case. Changing the wording wouldn't achieve anything, because not even the Constitution can prevent an outspoken president from expressing his devotion to Russia or even to America. [Czech Republic tame United States]
Glossary of difficult words
futility - the incapability of producing any useful result; pointlessness;
to domesticate - to tame an animal;
shin - the front of the leg below the knee;
puerile - childishly silly and trivial.