Final Word from Wednesday, August 4, 2004
Designated Health Minister Milada Emmerová said in Právo yesterday that the biggest problem in healthcare is the lack of ethics and morals. MFD said today that she failed to announce that her son, Jiří, works for Zentiva, the dominant drug maker. Zentiva's competitors were poised to use her son's position against her the moment she was nominated. The connection has been common knowledge for ages. In fact, Emmerová mentions it in her résumé (www.emmerova.cz). Even if she wanted to show favoritism, she'd now find it difficult. What will become more important for Zentiva than good relations with another short-lived health minister are good relations with Premier Stanislav Gross. When Zentiva's private-equity owners want to exit, the value will be much higher if not too much is done to upset the company's carefully protected market position.