Final Word from Thursday, February 3, 2005
Pressure is mounting on Stanislav Gross to disclose the source of the money he used to buy his Prague apartment. It's increasingly likely that this scandal, coupled with revelations about the "Mill" police squad, will have long-term consequences. The way the scandals are developing raises the question of whether the timing was a coincidence. MF Dnes and HN, which broke the two stories, would like us to think their revelations are the result of sound investigative journalism. But why now? Some of their information has been around for years. Was the timing related to the upcoming ČSSD party congress? To the Český Telecom privatization? To the ČSOB-Nomura dispute over IPB? MFD and HN can't be expected to reveal their sources, but readers deserve to know whether the newspapers are instruments in someone else's political or commercial games. [Czech Republic Hospodářské noviny sale flat Mlýn conference]