Final Word from Monday, July 7, 2008
We heard several days ago that President Václav Klaus has been in consultations with Antitrust Chair Martin Pecina about making Pecina the head of a technocratic government. We evidently weren't the only ones who heard this. A few days later, a damaging report appeared on Czech TV revealing that Pecina had held an inappropriate meeting with owner Andrej Babiš of Agrofert. This opportune report could stymie Pecina's political ambitions, at least in the short term. Interestingly, it came soon after Vlastimil Tlustý - a shoo-in for finance minister in a Pecina cabinet - had agreed on Impuls with Pecina's urgent call for a decision on new nuclear sources. It's seems clear what is taking shape in Czech politics: A ČEZ coalition is being formed for moving swiftly ahead with the highly lucrative business of building more nuclear plants. What isn't yet so clear is whether it will be the Klaus or the Topolánek faction that oversees this ČEZ government.[Czech Republic Television competition monopoly provisional]
Glossary of difficult words
technocratic government - (in this context) a provisional government made up of experts;
opportune - (of a time) well-chosen or particularly favorable or appropriate; well-timed;
to stymie - to prevent or hinder the progress of;
shoo-in - a person or thing that is likely to succeed in a competition.