Final Word from Monday, June 2, 2014
When Tomáš Hudeček of TOP 09 was still in the opposition at Prague city hall, he was one of the biggest critics of the 15T trams from Škoda Transportation. They're poorly designed, he said, and the contract drafted by lawyer Miroslav Jansta was a tunnel job. At about this same time, DP Praha transit company started talking about amending the contract to reduce the number of trams. Shortly after Hudeček became mayor, he insisted on knowing who the true owners of Škoda were. DPP reached a deal last week with Škoda. The number of trams won't be reduced, and the public didn't learn who has been behind Škoda all these years. DPP's mediator, Radek Šnábl, did his damnedest but could only get Škoda to budge on some payment-deferral and accessory issues. Šnábl was recommended to DPP by Miroslav Kalousek, who has apparently taken over the job once held by Pavel Bém of protecting Škoda and its owners. [Czech Republic For City beneficial owners Martin]
Glossary of difficult words
tunnel job - a way to strip assets;
to do one's damnedest - (pronounced damdest) to do or try one's utmost;
to budge - to change or make someone change an opinion or position;
deferral - an act of delaying or postponing;
accessory - a thing that can be added to something else to make it more useful, versatile or attractive (in the case of the trams, this is air conditioning and wifi).