Final Word from Monday, August 18, 2025
The dramatic arrest late Thur. night of Tomáš Jiřikovský in the bitcoin affair is what everyone in Czech politics was either waiting for or dreading. The top brass of ODS was no doubt counting on Supreme State Prosecutor Lenka Bradáčová to postpone the day of reckoning until at least after the elections, but Olomouc Senior Prosecutor Radim Dragoun has his own agenda and struck at almost the worst possible time for ODS. The floodgates have now been opened, and if no one else is arrested before the elections, it will raise legitimate questions about the fairness of the process. MP Marek Benda of ODS has already forfeited his right to object to anything that comes. When Martin Řezníček of Czech TV accused ANO Vice Chair Radek Vondráček 12 days ago of criticizing the police, Benda chimed in (at 10:22pm) that questioning the judicial system is ANO's favorite trick. "Let's not do that," Benda said. "We simply must maintain that law enforcement and courts in this country are independent." If the police now come for Finance Min. Zbyněk Stanjura, Benda will have trouble arguing that someone wants to ruin ODS before the elections. [ Czech Republic selective Television Pavel Blažek Eva Decroix justice judicial ]
Glossary of difficult words
to dread - to anticipate with great apprehension or fear;
top brass - the people in the highest positions in an organization (such as the military or a business);
floodgates - a last restraint holding back an outpouring of something powerful or substantial;
to forfeit - to lose or give up (something) as a necessary consequence of something else;
to chime in - to add (one's comment or opinion) to a conversation or discussion.