Final Word from Wednesday, September 7, 2005
A survey by Euro of 103 managers found that only 28% thought Deputy Premier Martin Jahn (ind.) was making the right decision by agreeing to run on ČSSD's ticket. A full 42% said it was a bad decision. Some managers questioned whether it was a good career move. Others thought ČSSD would chew up this right-leaning politician and spit him out. Jahn has often been criticized as being ineffective - most recently by Mirek Topolánek - but the successes speak for themselves: Commercial-registry reform, caps on social and health taxes, higher R&D write-offs, bankruptcy reform. Some of Jahn's compromises - such as seven-months' severance pay for a worker fired without a reason - won't win over any businessmen. But managers who question his decision to run should ask themselves: Will they be better off in four years with him in Parliament, or without?[Czech Republic social security register ODS Social Democrats research & development]