Final Word from Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Both political and byznys factors could help explain Petr Nečas's uncharacteristic rebuffing of Václav Klaus's attempts to control the denouement of the crisis. Politically, Nečas could feel threatened as ODS chairman by Klaus's need to position himself for his post-presidential life. A castrated Nečas or a weak interim government could allow Klaus to rule the roost for his remaining 20 months in office and then slide back into the top ODS post. Taking over at VV is another rumored possibility, but Klaus's main reason for temporarily protecting Vít Bárta (unless the growing speculation of a sexual aspect is true) is probably the need to protect PPF's people at VV's ministries and the general ČEZ-Appian way of doing business in the country. These business interests cannot allow Nečas a free hand in reshuffling his cabinet. For them, a cabinet run by Miroslav Kalousek would be a very attractive solution, but for Klaus a browbeaten Nečas remains the better option. The big question mark is how big a fight Nečas is prepared to put up.
Glossary of difficult words
byznys - the Czech spelling is used to indicate that there are Czech-specific business factors;
to rebuff someone - to reject someone in an abrupt or ungracious manner;
denouement - the climax of a chain of events, usually when something is decided or made clear;
castrated - deprived of power, vitality or vigor;
to rule the roost - to be in complete control;
a free hand - freedom to act at one’s discretion;
browbeaten - intimidated into doing something through stern or abusive words;
to put up a fight - to offer resistance to an attack.