Final Word from Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Reporter Jaroslav Kmenta has perfected the art of turning MFD into a leak sheet for pals at the police. Kmenta is now much better at concealing who the beneficiaries of his work are. In the latest installment, Vlastimil Tlustý, Ivan Langer and Miroslav Šlouf have all suffered direct hits. Collateral damage has also been inflicted on Mirek Topolánek (who stood up for Langer), Pavel Bém (who vouched for Luděk Sekyra), and Miloš Zeman (who is synonymous with Šlouf). Josef Hojdar and a certain deputy minister to Pavel Mertlík were also mentioned, but Jiří Paroubek's ČSSD has mostly stayed in the clear. A ČSSD official was recently overheard complaining that whereas ODS has built up a Kč 2bn war chest by requiring its politicians to tithe part of their bribe revenue, ČSSD is outgunned in the campaign because it's been "every man for himself." Kmenta has helped ČSSD level the playing field some.[Czech Republic MF Dnes corruption]
Glossary of difficult words
leak sheet - a publication used by intelligence services to leak chosen information;
installment - any of several parts of something that is published in sequence;
collateral damage - inadvertent casualties or destruction among civilians in the course of military operations;
to inflict - to impose something unwelcome on someone;
to vouch for someone - to confirm that someone is who he says he is or that he is of good character;
synonymous - closely associated with or suggestive of something;
war chest - money for conducting a campaign or business;
to tithe - to pay or give one-tenth of annual earnings;
to be outgunned - to be at a disadvantage because the other side has better or more weaponry.