Final Word from Thursday, August 1, 2019
"We've got the bastard," exulted Supreme State Prosecutor Pavel Zeman after PM Andrej Babiš left a meeting in Brussels on Mon. with Pres.-elect Ursula von der Leyen of the EU Commission. (Zeman didn't actually say it; this is political satire.) "The flowers, the smiles, the fact that she received him as the third head of government. And that utter confidence that Jourová will get a better portfolio. It all reeks of a quid pro quo. He helped Macron and Merkel squeeze out Timmermans, and now he's expecting a big payback. If the EU audits come back clean, we'll have a smoking gun. This is even better than Fuksa-Šnajdr-Tluchoř. Babiš clearly acted in violation of his vow as PM. But wait, we'd have to arrest Von der Leyen too. And Maybe Macron and Merkel. Can't do that. Better just leak it to the press that we're giving it a close look. But how? Moravec is on vacation, and I've already gone to Respekt too often. I know, Foreign Policy will bite. Somebody get Růžička on the phone." [ Czech Republic Věra Emmanuel Angela France Germany Frans Commissioner Netherlands Ivan Marek Petr Václav OVM Czech TV Television ]
Glossary of difficult words
to exult - to show or feel triumphant elation or jubilation;
utter - complete; absolute;
to reek - to be suggestive of something unpleasant or undesirable;
quid pro quo - a favor or advantage granted in return for something;
smoking gun - a piece of incontrovertible incriminating evidence;
to bite - to be persuaded to accept a deal or offer.