Final Word from Monday, September 22, 2003
Female Czech politicians don't like to talk about their private lives, perhaps for fear of being judged. Health Minister Marie Součková won't answer questions about her teenage son, a drug addict. Education Minister Petra Buzková gets testy when asked to compare her daughter's French education with Czech schooling. And MP Hana Marvanová, who had a baby on Tues., refuses to say who the father is. Marvanová surprised everyone, though, by announcing that she'll give up her seat in Parliament to take care of little Andrej. MFD Dnes lamented the decision, saying that she'd have made an excellent example of a mom doing top-level work. The Economist said recently that anyone who mentions that young children suffer if their mothers spend too much time at work risks being called a male chauvinist pig. No one would think to call Marvanová this.